One hundred and fifty-four students at Government Science Secondary School, Batagarawa in Katsina State are hospitalised after developing symptoms following administration of praziquantel tablets used to treat bilharzia (schistosomiasis). Katsina State police say the incident occurs on Monday, and that the affected students are taken to hospital for treatment.
Police spokesperson Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu says the students are later discharged and that no deaths are recorded. Coverage also notes that some students had been kept longer for further medical care before they were treated and reunited with families. The police commissioner thanks the public for cooperation and urges residents not to spread unverified reports.
One outlet adds an additional dimension, reporting that the situation also includes allegations of teachers beating students who appeared ill, alongside claims students were pretending to be sick. The other reports focus primarily on the hospitalisation, the suspected drug reaction, and the police response.
