Confusion as bullet hits pupil during exams

A private nursery and primary school in the Ajobo area of Ibadan stopped its third term examination after a bullet allegedly fired from the 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan, Oyo State, hits a nursery one pupil in the classroom.

It was gathered that parents quickly rushed to the school after the incident happened to take their children home.

An employee of the school, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the pupil was sitting for the examination when the bullet pierced through the roof and hit him on the head. He said the victim was rushed to a nearby military hospital.

He said, “Expended bullets were picked on the school premises; they came in through the roof. This is the first time such an incident would be recorded since the school began operation in 2011.

“The shot was fired from the shooting range of the cantonment. We are aware that a shooting training is going on. We are also aware that for a few years, such exercise was done somewhere else after residents complained that bullets from the exercise harmed them.

“We called the attention of the military to the incident and they came to see the holes in the roof and blood in the classroom.”

Our correspondent observed bullet holes in the ceiling and on the wall. Also, there was blood on the floor of the classroom where the pupil was hit.

Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of the division, Col. Ezindu Idima, said the range was on the premises of the division, adding that the General Officer Commanding, Maj. Gen. Chukwunedum Abraham, had ordered investigation into the incident.

He said, “The 2017 annual range classification started in the division on July 10, 2017, and the exercise will end on July 17, 2017. The range we use is located within the barracks; we did not start using the range today (Wednesday). Before the commencement of the exercise, we informed communities around about the exercise and advised them to steer clear of the range area.

“The distance between the range and the nearest community is about 2,000 metres. The effective range of the weapons we are using is about 300 metres. I don’t know how bullets will go beyond 2,000 meters to the extent of destroying lives and property. The GOC has, however, ordered investigation into the matter.”

( Punch)