A witness, Mr Jubril Yakubu, a Deputy Director with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, testified in an Ikeja High Court that Chrisland School Opebi trained its staff on safeguarding policy.
Yakubu also stated that he was not aware of the presence of three Child Protection Officers from Chrisland School at the inter-house sport in Agege Stadium on the day the 12-year-old student, Whitney Adediran died.
He also confirmed that he did not check the attendees list to know if the trio of Mrs Taylor, Mrs Fajemirokun, and Mrs Oladimeji attended the stadium on the inter-house sports day.
Chrisland School and four staffers, including the principal, vice-principal, and two others, were charged by the Lagos State Government for negligence over the death of a 12-year-old student, Whitney Adeniran during an Inter-house sports competition held at the Agege Stadium, Lagos State.
The defendants pleaded not guilty.
While being cross-examined by counsel to the 4th defendant, Mr Ademola Animashaun, the witness confirmed that he was aware Chrisland school had trained their staff on safeguarding policy, and he had once facilitated such training. He also agreed that the primary responsibility of school safety was his ministry.
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Yakubu stated that he was not aware that the school had an emergency bus on the ground on the day of the incident, but he was aware that they had a school bus at the venue.
He also confirmed that the school had a nurse on the ground, but he did not know if any first aiders were present on the day of the incident.
The witness affirmed that he knew the deceased’s mother attended the inter-house sport, but he did not know if she was taken to the hospital by the school.
He confirmed that the deceased was taken to a primary health centre in Agege, which was far from the stadium.
He also stated that he did not know the time it took the school emergency bus to get to the hospital.
When asked if he knew that his report contained the wrong account because he did not capture the school’s account of what transpired on February 9, 2023, he replied in the negative.
He said he was not aware that the school got to know about the death of the deceased until after the event.
However, he confirmed that the commissioner ordered the closure of the school after the incident and that the doctor at Agege Central Hospital, where the deceased was taken, was qualified medical personnel, and the hospital was licensed.
Justice Oyindamola Ogala adjourned the case until June 3 for the continuation of cross-examination.
