Pandemonium broke out at the weekend at the Federal Girls’ College, (FGC) in Akure, the Ondo State capital, following an alarm raised by students that two of their cooks were allegedly picking their used sanitary pads for unknown purpose.
DAILY POST authoritatively gathered that the suspects were allegedly caught by the students at their dustbins on Friday, which was a day to their “Visiting Day”.
The boarding students, who were in Junior Secondary School (JSS) three and the Senior Secondary School (SSS) three were preparing for the their Junior and Senior West Africa Examination Council (WAEC).
Other students are on holiday break.
It was learnt that the aggrieved students quickly reported the matter to one of their teachers, who informed the Principal about the issue.
Already, the two suspects have been suspended by the School Principal, Mrs. Florence Ejikeme and had been handed over to police for proper investigation.
The students, were said to have attempted to stage a protest that Friday, but they were calmed by the chairman of the Parents Teachers Association of the school, Mr. Akin Ashimolowo.
The matter turn another dimension on their “Visiting Day” as parents were seen protesting against the management of the school.
One of the parents was said to have called the Police Area commander, who immediately arrived the school.
The students were said to have vowed not to eat the food prepare by the cooks.
Though, it was not yet clear if the suspects were using the used sanity pad for themselves or selling them for spiritual purposes, a parent anonymously said the suspects had confessed to the crime at the police station .
She said one of the suspects is a wife of a prominent politician in the state and may want to use their ‘connections’ to sweep the matter under the carpet, adding that her child told her that it was not the first time such a thing would be happening in the school and nothing was being done.
She said ” the question we want to ask the police is that, where did they ( suspects) keep all the sanitary pads they have been taking since all these days? Who sent them, who are they working for ? ”
The State Police Public Relations Officers, Mr. Femi Joseph, who confirmed the incident, said only two of the women were in the police custody.
He added that the command had commenced investigation into the matter.
But, Joseph refused to mention names of the two suspects, saying the command had not been able to establish whether or not the suspects used the sanitary pads for ritual purposes as alleged.
Joseph appealed to the students to be calm, assuring that the police would get into the root of the matter.
” The matter is still at the realm of allegation, so as I’m speaking with you we, are still investigating.” Joseph said on the telephone.
All efforts to reach the Principal of the school, Mrs Ejikeme was unsuccessful, as she was said to have traveled out of the town and some of the staff met in the school declined to speak with our correspondent.
Similarly, the P.T.A chairman of the school, Mr. Ashimolowo also refused to speak on the matter on the telephone.