South East schools shut as parents withdraw children over Monkey pox injection rumour

Schools in the South East States have been shut following the withdrawal of students based on a rumour that the ongoing medical outreach by the Nigerian Army was meant to depopulate the zone.
In Anambra State, Governor Willie Obiano, has ordered the stoppage of the medical outreach over the situation.
The medical outreach is a part of the Operation Python Dance being conducted in the South East States.
However, following rumors of a plot to wreck havoc through the medical outreach, some parents and guardians started withdrawing their children and wards from schools.
This prompted Obiano to order the stoppage of the exercise, which is ongoing simultaneously in all states in the South East.
This was contained in a statement by the Secretary to the Anambra State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu.
The statement said: “The attention of the State Government has been drawn to an on going medical outreach being undertaken by the Army in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area.
“The State has been made to understand that the exercise is part of Army social responsibility to members of the public.
“However, strong apprehension among the populace has followed the exercise leading to withdrawal of students from schools by parents, misconception of the actual motive behind the exercise by stakeholders, community leaders and a general reservation by the public for whom the outreach is intended.
“To this end and to ensure no further escalation of the situation, His Excellency the Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has contacted the Army Authories and advised for immediate stoppage of the medical outreach until wide sensitization is conducted to reassure people of its intentions and benefits. The exercise has therefore been put on hold.
“Parents and guardians are strongly advised to stop withdrawing their wards from schools as the situation has been handled. All schools within the State will remain open as there is no cause for alarm! Community leaders, Presidents General and all Stakeholders are hereby reassured of the commitment of the Governor and the State Government to the wellbeing of Ndi Anambra. The State Government also strongly condemns observed rhetorics on social media completely misrepresenting the situation with insinuations of spread of diseases and death of students in schools arising from the exercise. The State categorically refutes these rhetorics and confirms that there is no death of any student anywhere in the State. Mischief makers are warned to desist from spreading falsehood. Anambra remains calm and peaceful!”
The Nigerian Army has equally urged the public to disregard rumours that its ongoing free medical outreach, especially in the South East, was aimed at de-populating the zone.
Colonel Sagir Musa, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, made the call in a statement issued in Enugu on Wednesday.
Musa said the free medical outreach was not a vaccine intended to infect monkey pox or any major contemporary or emerging diseases to the people of the zone or any part of the country.
He described as “silly and mischievous” publications trending on the social media alleging that the ongoing free medical services in some communities in the zone was with a sinister motive of depopulating the region through the so-called “monkey pox vaccination”.
Musa said: “The exercise is part of the corporate social responsibility initiatives imbued in to the overall Exercise EGWU EKE 11 package to the people of the South Eastern Region which is the area of responsibility of the 82 Division.
“Instructively, the free medical services in the region started on Sept. 18, 2017 in Nkwoagu community of Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
“At the event, the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, the Chairman of the Local Government and some traditional rulers of the benefiting community were there at the launching of the exercise by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai.”
Other areas where the programme was conducted were Ovim in Isikwuato Local Government Area of Abia; Mbaise in Imo; Oji River in Enugu and now Ozubulu in Anambra.
Musa added: “In all the mentioned areas, there has not been any recorded incident or complaint of any kind arising from the noble humanitarian gesture of the Nigerian Army.
“Hence, the wicked, ill motivated rumour is the handiwork of unpatriotic elements who can go to any length to discredit the noble services of the army in the region, in which at the moment they will not succeed.”
The spokesperson thanked the people of Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government, including the chairman, Ofademe Ikenna, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. A. Akabuike, who graced the occasion.
Musa also thanked the National Coordinator of Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme in the state for its support during the medical outreach.
Meanwhile, schools across the zone had shut down following rumours of death in the medical outreach.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that parents were seen taking their children in primary and secondary schools in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States.