Kubwa Pupils Died Of Meningitis, Not Food Poisoning – FCT Minister

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, says the cause of the death of three pupils of the Local Education Authority Primary School, Kubwa, Abuja, was caused by Cerebrospinal Meningitis.

The pupils reportedly died after eating biscuit shared during a classmate’s birthday celebration in the school.

It was gathered that the three students died of the same symptoms, bleeding from the ears and from the nose.

Parents had blamed the cause of the death of the pupils on food poisoning, with some calling for the ban of birthday celebrations in schools.

Two others, who partook of the biscuits, were hospitalised at the Kubwa General Hospital.

But reacting on Friday, the Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Media, Abubakar Sani, denied the claims the pupils died of food poisoning.

Sani said after proper investigation, the Director of Public Health, Dr Humphrey Okoronkwo, said the three pupils died of meningitis.

“The FCT Director of Public Health, Dr Humphrey Okoronkwo, says three pupils in Kubwa school died of suspected cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis, not food poisoning,” he said.

The death of the pupils led to confusion in the area on Wednesday, with parents storming the school to withdraw their wards.

The parent and the girl suspected to have shared the biscuits, were reported to have been quizzed by the school authorities.

The school is currently under lock and key as investigations are still ongoing, The FCTA Education Secretary, Tony Ogunleye, said.