Disastrous excursion Parents of drowned students blame school authorities

MUHAMMAD SABIU, in this piece, writes on an excursion by students of a Kaduna school which ended in a tragic note even as there were indications that safety measures were not adequately deployed to protect the students.

IT was an ill-fated journey as it turned out. Five young science students looking forward to a bright and exciting future suddenly has their lives short cut. They must have been excited by the prospect of an adventure. Several of them might have been born in Kaduna, but had never had the opportunity of visiting the state water board from where water is pumped to different homes in the metropolis. That day offered them the opportunity of satisfying their curiosity.

Findings by the Sunday Tribune gathered that a Science teacher of the school, Victory Schools, Unguwar Yelwa, Kaduna, had sought the permission of the school authority to take about 60 students on an excursion to the state water board pump station located at the Railway station, Barnawa, Kaduna South.

Reliable source remarked that the students arrived at the water board on that fateful day around 11am, apparently excited about what the excursion held for them. They did not have an idea of how the trip was going to end; a disastrous outcome was definitely not what anybody had anticipated. After all, the trip was definitely not the first that students of the school had ever embarked on.

According to source, “everything was going on fine and the students were excited and asking questions about how water gets pumped to different parts of the city and most importantly their homes.

“Later, one of the officials told the students whether they were interested in seeing the water level at the pump station. Unfortunately, as we were making our way to the scene, some students fell into the river.”

Though the incident happened on Thursday, by Friday four students were rescued alive, while two were still missing.

Speaking on the incident, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Kakuri Division, CSP Benshak W. Dakyer explained that he was informed that the school officially wrote to the management of the water board about the excursion and permission was granted.

“We were also told that the iron boat which was used in moving the students to the position where the water is pumped broke down and the boat capsized with the students. Initially, those that drowned were 10 in number, but five were rescued and have been treated and discharged from hospital,” the PPRO said.

According to one of the survivors who did not want to be identified said he was rescued after the boat capsized, the guide did not tell the excursion group that the crane that controls the boat was not able to support heavy weight. That might have resulted in the breaking of the connecting metals holding the frames to it.

The survivor who told Sunday Tribune that he escaped narrowly by clinging unto one of the iron supports after the boat had capsized added that: “I then managed to come out by swimming. My friends were also trying to come out, but the pressure of the water was much so they could not.”

However, a  source close to the school who pleaded for anonymity remarked that the school authority  are still consulting with their lawyer over the incident, pointing out that “ as soon as we finish, we will issue a statement.”

Also, speaking, a member of staff of the school who wouldn’t like his name in print blamed an official of the state water board for the incident.

“If the official had not insisted that the students should visit the pumping site, this would not have happened.

“The science teacher demanded from school management to take over 60 science students for excursion to the water board. On getting there, the water board official took them to the river to see the source of river that flows to the tank,” the official said.

Sunday tribune learnt further that while the first set of students including the accompanying teacher took off for the pumping site inkling into ensuing tragedy happened. Sunday Tribune learnt that as they were moving on the river the boat tipped over but they were later rescued.

It was also learnt that some of the students’ parents queried the management of the school on why they should take their children on an excursion without informing them. However, one of the victims’ parents, Pastor Abiodun Arogundade accepted the incident an act of God.

The names of the victims who were all SSS 2 students and between 14 and 16 years of age were Priscilla Romania, Goodness Aromilade, Monday Umahi, Joseph Benedict and David Ukegbu.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Government has instituted a committee to investigate the tragedy that claimed the lives of the five students. The state Deputy Governor, Barnabas Bala Bantex who had visited the scene of the incident to condole with families of the deceased assured that the state government will continue to protect the lives of its people. He further called for more safety installations to protect lives of the residents of the state.