There were stampede in various schools in Enugu and Anambra States with parents rushing to withdraw their children over the news that some armed soldiers were going round primary schools administering vaccines on children. Many parents abandoned their workplaces and businesses to rush for their children. The news had it that some armed soldiers had visited a school in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State to administer free vaccines on children and that some children collapsed immediately such vaccines were administered on them.

That another batch of the medical team was heading to schools in Enugu and that they had got to Iva Valley, a suburb of the State capital. According to a source who spoke on anonymity, the army medical team when they visited a school in Ozubulu, their gesture for free vaccination was turned down as the children made for their homes. The staff were said to have objected citing that there was no official announcement by the State Government in Awka to schools to allow such vaccinations. But that the team was not deterred and was trying to forcefully go ahead with the exercise. That in the ensuing melee, the soldiers were said to have released some gunshots into the air apparently to ward off any attack by members of the public who saw the free medical service as a ploy to infect the children.

Another source in Nnewi told Drumnewsonline that a similar incident happened at a school said to be owned by a former Deputy Governor of Anambra State. That the Management of the school objected and requested for clearance by the State government from the team which was not handy.

As at press time the real facts of the matter were still sketchy with parents pouring out on the roads taking their children home. Some of the parents who spoke to drumnewsonline said that they were taking their children based on calls they received from relations. The news spread like wildfire in Enugu forcing schools to close abruptly with many of them locking their school gates as the story had it that the military medical team was going round.

It would be recalled that the social media was agog with write-ups insinuating that the outbreak of monkeypox was as a result of vaccination by the Nigerian Army medical team in the Southeast. The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed had debunked the rummour asking members of the public to disregard such news.

Source Drumnewsonline