Pandemonium In Edo State Following What Was Thought To Be A Grave Inside A Classroom

There was pandemonium at Iguodala Primary School, in Uhunduhun community of Oredo local government area of Edo State, on Monday, following the discovery of what looked like a grave inside one of the classrooms in the school. The blood-stained grave allegedly discovered by one of the teachers and some pupils of the school shortly after the morning assembly, caused great stir and anxiety.

The pupils were said to have drawn the attention of the acting Head Mistress, Mrs. Georginia Ilongwo to the grave. She subsequently ordered the evacuation of the pupils from the affected classroom, and thereafter alerted officers from the Esigie Police Division. She described the discovery as shocking, adding that, many parents had prevented their children and ward from going to school on Tuesday due to the fear of contracting infection.

"When I visited the scene, all the teachers were raising alarm and neighbours were trooping into the school compound. We called the attention of inspectors from the ministry, NUT chairman, PTA Chairman and the Odionwere of the community who told us to call the police. "When the policemen came they said that they would assess the scene today (Tuesday). We were all surprised because since I started teaching here, I have not experienced such thing," Mrs. Ilongwo said.

When journalists visited the school, a pair of shorts and a t-shirt were seen on the floor of the classroom. Policemen from the Esigie Police Division were also at the scene, some of whom were said to have kept watch‎ from Monday night until an evacuation was carried out by some cemetery staff from local government council at about 11:40 am on Tuesday. The cemetery staff were instructed by health officials from the council to stop exhumation, after digging three feet into the ground, saying that there was no sign that a corpse had been buried at the site.