Police grant bail to Rivers students who detonated teargas in school

The Rivers state police command has granted bail to the two students who allegedly detonated a teargas canister in a secondary school in the state.

In a statement on Saturday, the police, while quizzing the students, quoted one of them as saying that the canister was that of his late brother who was a police officer.

Community Secondary School, Oroworukwo, was thrown into chaos on Friday when the teargas was fired by one of the students.

The explosion led to pandemonium as some students, who were almost choked by the smoke from the canister, were seen jumping from the first floor of the school’s building in a video that has gone viral.

Nnamdi Omoni, Rivers police spokesman, gave the name of the two students involved in the incident as Nicodemus Nkaparo, 18, and Darlington Sylvanus, 17.

He said they were both arrested and taken to the station “where they admitted detonating the substance but however denied knowing that it was a chemical substance capable of causing panic and tension.”

“In his statement, Nicodemus Nkaparo confessed to have brought the canister from their house, which was part of the belongings of his deceased elder brother who was a Policeman,” Omoni said.

“He stated further that he did not know that it was a chemical weapon (teargas) which could cause panic and tension.

“But unknown to him, his friend Darlington Sylvanus detonated the substance, which threw the whole school into confusion, as people scampered for safety while some sustained injuries.”

The police spokesman said the two students were subsequently given administrative bail to report back on Monday.

He added that the houses of the suspects were searched “but nothing incriminating was found.

“At the end of this exercise, the team called all the staff and students of the school and assured them of their protection and warned them to be law abiding, as the Police will not spare any effort in dealing with delinquent students,” he said.