The management of Brickhall School in Abuja has announced the closure of the school over the death of a four-year-old pupil, Miguel Ovoke, who died after allegedly choking on a piece of meat during a meal.

Brickhall School announced the closure via a statement issued by the school’s spokesperson, Janet Agu, on Wednesday, May 8, 2024.

Agu disclosed that Ovoke choked on a piece of meat in the home-packaged meal he ate during school hours on April 24, adding that the school was saddened that the life of the pupil could not be saved despite the timely response of its trained nurse and the eventual decision to rush him to a hospital.

She noted: “While noting the decision to mourn the late pupil by closing the school for one week, the school respectfully urged everyone connected to the tragedy to respect Miguel’s memory with dignity and peace while allowing medical professionals and law enforcement agencies to conclude with the autopsy.

“It is with profound sorrow and deepest sympathy that we at Brickhall School, Management and the Parents Teacher’s Forum express our heartfelt condolences to the family of our dearly beloved pupil, Miguel Ovoke.

“We are devastated to report that Miguel tragically passed away on April 24, 2024, following a sad incident where he choked on a piece of meat offal from his meal brought from home, despite the immediate and expert care provided by our dedicated staff and certified school nurse.

4-year-old pupil chokes to death in Abuja

“In response to this heart-wrenching event, we convened an urgent meeting with our school community on the day of the incident.

“Out of respect for Miguel’s memory and to honour his bright spirit, we suspended classes for over a week, allowing our community time to mourn and reflect on this profound loss.

“We have cooperated fully with the relevant authorities to ensure a thorough and compassionate resolution for everyone affected, especially Miguel’s grieving family.

“The leadership of both the school and the Parents Teacher’s Forum has personally visited Miguel’s family to offer our support and condolences during this indescribably difficult time. We stand with them in their grief and extend our support to all who loved Miguel—his friends, classmates, and our entire community.

“As Brickhall School resumes, particularly for students preparing for their Senior and Junior School Certificate examinations, we reaffirm our commitment to the well-being and education of all our students.”

Agu further stated that Brickhall School would continue to work closely with medical professionals, law enforcement agencies, and Ovoke’s family to clarify the circumstances surrounding the pupil’s death.

The school’s spokesperson said: “We respectfully urge everyone connected to this tragedy to honour Miguel’s memory with dignity and peace, while we allow the medical and law enforcement professionals to ascertain possible cause of death, as we continue identifying and engaging with the family.

“We will continue to strive towards maintaining transparency with our school community.”

The Star