About 18 pupils of James Primary School B, Osogbo, have reportedly landed in the hospital after eating a mid-day meal served to them under the free school feeding programme of the Osun State Government.
Reports say the state government has commenced investigation into the issue.
Narrating how they became ill, one of the pupils said they were served rice and egg, and that they developed diarrhoea after they had eaten the food.
Some of the mothers of the victims added that they observed that the eggs their children were served had foul smell; and that their children developed diarrhoea not long after returning from school, raising concerns about the food the vendor served them.
The incident happened on Monday.
A statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, on Tuesday, said Governor Ademola Adeleke has directed that further food cooking at the affected school be discontinued pending the outcome of the investigations.
According to the statement, the victims have been treated and discharged from hospitals.
The statement reads, “Osun State Government has ordered full investigations into the reported cases of food poisoning at St James primary School B, Owoope Osogbo
“The State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, directed immediate action when the matter was reported to him by the Special Adviser on O-Meal, Mrs Grace Ayodele. The Governor has subsequently directed the stoppage of further food cooking at the affected school pending the outcome of the investigations.
“The affected cooks in the said schools alongside the planning officer for the O-Meal programme have also been summoned to a meeting by Tuesday morning. Additionally, the governor has directed enforcement of food standards and control as well as the auditing of the O-Meal structure to forestall future occurrences.
“Meanwhile, the government is settling the medical bills of the affected students as narrated by the Chairman of the Local Government Education Authority, Mr Nathaniel Ojetola. The LGEA Chairman who was at the forefront of the intervention efforts disclosed that a total number of 18 students were treated and discharged.
“The total student population of the school is 200 while 103 are within the population receiving food from the O-Meal Programme. A government delegation is also visiting families of the affected students.”
