The Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested a chemist shop operator over the alleged collection of blood samples from newly admitted students of CAC Adu Memorial Secondary School, Oke-Aro, Akure.
According to the agency, the blood samples were collected at a kiosk near the school before being taken to a laboratory for analysis, with the students allegedly receiving the laboratory results the following day.
The NSCDC began investigating the matter on September 21 after its Safe School Unit received information from the Ondo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology about the alleged blood testing involving students of the school.
As part of the investigation, the command traced the address indicated on the laboratory results but could not locate the laboratory at the stated address.
The command’s spokesperson, SC Daniel Aidamenbor, disclosed the development on Wednesday, identifying the arrested chemist operator as Adigun Kazeem, who allegedly operated the kiosk where the students’ blood samples were collected.
Aidamenbor also said the school’s principal, Mrs Olajumoke Ekpo-Jide, had been interrogated and made a written statement to assist investigators in determining how the alleged blood collection took place.
According to him, the principal denied that the school authorised or participated in the exercise, adding that the Ministry of Education had prohibited blood testing as a requirement for admission.
The command also identified Olugbenga Olusola Foge as the person allegedly responsible for the laboratory aspect of the operation, saying he remained at large.
A copy of the laboratory results was also recovered as part of the investigation.
The NSCDC said Kazeem’s arrest would assist investigators in tracing Foge and determining whether other individuals were involved in the alleged collection and testing of the students’ blood samples.
The development came after the Ondo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology had dissociated itself from the alleged exercise in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Bisi Lawani.