Parents in Omu-Aran and Ilofa, in Irepodun and Oke-Ero local government areas of Kwara State yesterday withdrew their children from schools following rumours of deadly vaccination.
The parents besieged the schools as early as 9 am, as rumours spread that vaccination teams, accompanied by soldiers, were in town.
It was gathered that some schools locked their gates to stop the parents from entering, while others were forced to engage security personnel when the situation degenerated into confrontation.
However, most of the schools succumbed to pressure by releasing the children.
But the government denied the rumours.
A statement by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s Special Adviser on Security, Alhai Amusa Bello, urged the people to ignore the rumour, as the Army was not undertaking vaccination or any other health campaign in the state.
He urged parents not to panic and to refrain from withdrawing their wards from schools based on this ‘unfounded rumour’.
