A Deputy Director with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Jubril Yakubu, has told an Ikeja High Court that he was aware Chrisland School Opebi trained its staff on safeguarding policy.

Yakubu also told the court that he was a facilitator in one of the training.

He, however, said he was not aware that three Child Protection officers from Chrisland School were present at the inter-house sport in Agege Stadium on the day the 12-year-old student, Whitney Adediran, died.

Yakubu, the third prosecution witness, said this while being cross-examined by the fourth defence counsel, Mr Ademola Animashaun, on Thursday.

The witness said he was not aware that the trio of one Mrs Taylor, Mrs Fajemirokun and Mrs Oladimeji, who were at the stadium on the inter-house sport day were present on 14th February, 2023, the day he had a virtual meeting with the school management because he did not check the attendants’ list.

Animashaun asked the witness if he agreed that the primary responsibility of school safety rest on his ministry and he answered in the affirmative.

The witness said he did not know that the school had an emergency bus on the ground on the day of the incident.

The witness, however, said he was aware that the school had a bus at the venue.

He said: “I am aware that the school had a nurse on the ground but I do not know if there were any first aider on the ground on the day of the incident.

“I was also aware that the mother of the deceased attended the inter-house sport but I do not know if she was taken to the health centre by the school.

“I am aware that the deceased was taken to primary health centre in Agege but the stadium is far from the primary health centre where she was taken to.

“I do not know the time it took the school emergency bus to get to the hospital.

The witness, however, told the court that he could not calculate the distance of the school to the stadium.

He also confirmed that the meeting of Feb. 14, 2023, was a fact finding and that he wrote his report based on the findings which was held on the cause of death.

“I do not know whether the autopsy report was out as at the time I did my report in which I also recommended that the cause of death should be looked into,” he said.

The witness was asked if he knew that his report contained wrong account because he did not capture all that transpired on Feb.9, 2023, but he replied in the negative.

“I was not aware that the school got to know about the death of the deceased until after the event but I can confirmed that the commissioner ordered the closure of the school after the incident.

“I can also confirm that the doctor at Agege Central Hospital where the deceased was taken to is a qualified medical personnel and that the hospital is licensed,” the witness said.

The Lagos State Government on March 31, 2023, charged Chrisland School Ltd. Opebi, its principal and vice principal and two others with the killing of Whitney.

Those charged alongside the school are Ademoye Adewale (a cotton candy vendor), Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao (Principal) and Victoria Nwatu.

Justice Oyindamola Ogala adjourned the case until 3rd June for continuation of cross-examination.