Vandals on rampage in Delta
…ravage 120 public schools as police nab 23 suspects
By Nosa Àkeñzua
Efforts of the Delta State Government in the renovation of various owned schools across the 25 Local Government Areas, may have been thwarted by vandals who in the recent times have visibly vandalized no fewer than 120 schools ( both primary and secondary schools)
While the havoc wrecked on these schools by the rampaging vandals, has created the hue and cry among residents of various communities’ where the schools are allegedly vandalized, Delta State Government through the Commissioner for Education ( Basic Education), Mrs Rose Ezewu said that the state government has put measures in place to ensure the vandals are brought to book and described the activities as nefarious and set back to the state government
It was gathered that the vandals started with privately owned schools in Warri and Asaba metropolis where they allegedly carted away school equipment worth millions of naira including textbooks of the students kept in the schools’ book shops, but was treated with kid gloves by merely reporting to the Police without follow up rigidly.
In Ogwashi uku Community, for instance, a privately-owned school( name withheld) was last weekend allegedly vandalized and school property worth millions of naira removed by unknown persons.
Speaking to journalists, the owner of the school, Mr Philip Membu said:”We were shocked when our security guards raised the alarm that my school property worth millions of naira were removed by unknown persons. I rushed to the school and found that it was true and I reported to the Police immediately who arrested the security guards and they are still being held by the police for further investigation”. Regrettably, Nigeria joins the bandwagon of facing a severe lack of teachers to keep up with the increasing student numbers. The less than ideal treatment of teachers become the villain, pushing away capable minds into more financially rewarding paths
The 2022 Universal Basic Education National Personnel Audit reported a staggering distribution of teachers in Nigeria: 354,651 for 7:2million pre- primary students, 915,593 for 32 million in primary schools, and 416,291 for eight million junior secondary students.
Investigation revealed that despite the state government’s efforts to renovate over 45,000 schools by the previous Okowa led administration in the 25 Local Government Areas, vandals alleged to be indigenes of most affected communities, have continued to undermine the need to protect the provided infrastructure for these schools.
The state governor, Chief Sheriff Oborovwori had last week while speaking to journalists in Asaba however appealed to traditional rulers and heads of communities to ensure protection of government’s provided facilities to schools, warning that where vandalism of government property have become too unbecoming, may be held accountable for the vandalized schools with their property removed by vandals. Only recently, 23 ceiling fans, fitting and other facilities were stolen from Omado Primary School in Issele Uku community, headquarters of Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.
It was gathered that vandals allegedly invaded the school and burgled the classrooms and offices, thereby carting away ceiling fans and their wall switches and several iron protectors from the window frames. Recall that the school was one of the legacies of the former Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan.
The vandals were said to have gained entrance to the school through the back gate as the security guards were fast asleep.
The headmistress of the school, Mrs Mary Grace Egbuna who spoke to our correspondent however lamented that the vandals Continued to invade the school at odd times , stressing that they could not trace any of the school’s property made away by the vandals, disclosing that the vandals burgled almost all the Classes and penetrated the classes after removing the irons and windows as protectors.
On allegations of illegal collection in the school, the headmistress denied knowledge of such, stating that except the government fixed levies from the pupils that is between N150,00 and N200,00 tagged, consumables “stressing that the money in most cases, is not enough to provide instructional materials such as modern toilet tissue paper among others.
She appealed to the state government to intervene in rehabilitating the school as well as deploy security agents to always guard the school to avoid further invasion and removal of the school property, disclosing that the former guards were being detained by the police for alleged conspiracy and stealing.
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On visit to the affected schools, used Condoms and waste products were found littered in the classrooms, and premises as everywhere stinks with possible epidemic but DSP Bright Edafe, Police Public Relations Officer at the Delta State Police Command confirmed that the police have arrested 23 Suspects in connection with the schools’ property removed by vandals, adding that the Suspects upon interrogation, confessed to the Crime as they will be arraigned in Court next week.
While saying that the vandals were either working with Indigenes of various affected Communities, DSP Bright Edafe further confirmed that Asaba, Ogwashi Uku, Ubulu-Unor, Aniocha North, South, Burutu, Bomadi, Patani, Ibusa, Okpanam, among others have been flash points for the hoodlums who are armed with guns and matches, assuring that it will no longer be business as usual for them as police will do everything possible to bring the hoodlums to book.
