By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has directed the Federal Ministry of Education to take immediate and decisive measures to
strengthen health and safety protocols in all federal unity colleges, with particular
attention to addressing the situation at King’s College.
Th House also applauded the Lagos State Government, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and other health authorities for their swift and commendable response, and encourage continued collaboration
between federal and state agencies to safeguard the health and well-being of
students.
This resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent Public Importance by Rep. Akin Rotimi on “THE OUTBREAK OF DIPHTHERIA IN KING’S COLLEGE, LAGOS”, on Tuesday at plenary.
The House also called upon the Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the NCDC to intensify diphtheria vaccination and awareness campaigns in schools across the country to prevent future outbreaks.
The House also direct the Federal Ministry of Education to undertake an urgent and comprehensive review of health infrastructure in unity colleges and establish a clear and effective
framework for responding to infectious disease outbreaks in educational institutions.
In his lead debate, Rep. Rotimi expressed deep concern over the incident, citing significant lapses in infection prevention and control measures in federal unity colleges.
The lawmaker called for urgent action to address the recent diphtheria outbreak at King’s College in Lagos, which resulted in the death of a 12-year-old student and hospitalized several others.
He noted that the outbreak exposes the Federal Ministry of Education’s responsibility to ensure the health and safety of students in its institutions.
According to him, the data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), shows 24,804 confirmed cases of diphtheria across 25 states in Nigeria between week 19 of 2022 and week 04 of 2025, resulting in 1,269 fatalities across 18 states.
The House further directed the NCDC to establish and implement a structured disease surveillance system within all federal unity colleges to ensure early detection and rapid response
to infectious disease outbreaks.
Members also recommended that the Federal Government provide appropriate compensation to the family of the deceased student, in recognition of the tragic loss suffered and the duty of care owed to students in federal institutions.
The House observe a moment of silence in honour of the deceased student and extend
heartfelt condolences to his family and the King’s College community.
The lawmakers unanimously adopted the motion and mandated its committees on Health and Basic Education to engage with
relevant agencies, including the NCDC, to assess and enhance infection prevention andemergency response measures in federal schools.
