The Coalition of Registered Political Parties has called for a public apology by Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo over the use of pepper spray on students during the Children’s Day celebration by a member of a private security outfit.
In a statement on Friday by its National Chairman, CRPP, Francis Isibor, the group condemned the use of private security for an event of that magnitude, noting that the incident, which led to the collapse of students, could have been avoided.
Reports indicated that some male students of a government secondary school notorious for cultism invaded the venue and allegedly attempted to force themselves on female students, which allegedly triggered the use of pepper spray by bouncers.
Sadly, some students, mostly female, were seriously injured and collapsed in a stampede resulting from the pandemonium.
The statement read, “This tragedy, which had 50 children being hospitalised, has again exposed Governor Monday Okpebholo-led government as very weak and lacking in crowd control mechanism, and its failure to protect the children, especially the girl-child. It further exposed the government that prides itself as children and youth-friendly as a mere smoke screen.
