By The News Editor
The Ekit Itam II community in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has raised an urgent alarm over the persistent vandalism of St. Domino Primary School, situated along the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene highway.
The destruction, allegedly carried out by hoodlums suspected to be scavengers, has left the school increasingly vulnerable and in dire need of government intervention.
Speaking with journalists in Uyo on Monday, the Village Head, Eteidung Aloysius Ebong, lamented that criminals had systematically stolen iron protectors from the school’s perimeter fence, along with other valuable items. He attributed the problem to the inadequate fencing of the school when Julius Berger, the company handling the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene Highway project, secured only the frontage, leaving the rest exposed.
“Since then, activities of hoodlums in the school have been on the increase. All the iron fittings have been removed and carted away. It has become difficult to differentiate people with good intentions from criminals passing through the school compound. We are using this opportunity to call on the state governor, Umo Eno, to look into the security situation of the school,” the monarch stated.
Despite multiple appeals to the state government, the community claims their concerns have not been addressed.
The Village Council Chairman, Emmanuel Ebong, linked the crisis to scavengers searching for scrap metal. “The issue has become so intense that we, the Village Council members and youth, have to mount surveillance at night. Even then, if you leave or sleep a little, something will go missing because they are also not sleeping,” he revealed. He also pointed out that an earlier government announcement promised the fencing of all public schools along major roads, yet no action has been taken for St. Domino Primary School.
Further highlighting the severity of the situation, community youth leader Dominic Edem narrated how a suspect was caught vandalizing the school’s roofing sheets. Shockingly, the suspect even threatened the youths who apprehended him. “When we finally overpowered him, he was taken to the police station. We spent so much money trying to prosecute the matter, even though the suspect was caught in the act. At the end of the day, we had to abandon the case because we could not continue anymore,” he lamented.
The Head Teacher, Courage Sunny Udom, expressed grave concerns over the lack of security, revealing that he had been repeatedly threatened by the vandals. He described the school as highly exposed, as it had turned into a thoroughfare for individuals cutting across the premises, even at night.
“The school compound has become a shortcut for people crossing the field. I am even afraid to fix ceiling fans in my office because they may break in and steal them. The prime suspects in this whole issue are the ‘iron condemn people’ (scavengers), and they are very hostile,” Udom stated.
The Ekit Itam II community continues to press for immediate government action, urging authorities to secure the school with a perimeter fence and strengthen security to protect the learning environment from further destruction.
