Pupils protest herdsmen disruption of learning in Imo community

Pupils of Community School Ugiri in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State have taken to the streets protesting the encroachment of their school premises by herdsmen.

In a viral video monitored on Wednesday, PUNCH Metro saw the pupils chanting solidarity songs, expressing displeasure on the destruction of their crops by the activities of the herdsmen who always trespassed the school farms and classes, destroying and chasing the pupils out of the classrooms.

A teacher who gave his name as Pastor Benard Ahaotu, who spoke in the viral video, said, “We are seeing a lot in the school. We don’t know who has the school, whether the pupils or the cows. Sometimes, in the middle of learning, cows will run into the farms, destroy the crops and run inside the classrooms and chase the little pupils away.

“Last time, we spent six bags of fertiliser cultivating cassava. The cows came and destroyed them and this is the second time. The other day, I knelt down and begged the herdsmen to stop bringing their cows into the school premises to destroy our crops.”
He said, “We use the proceeds from the crops to run the school. If this issue is not addressed, we may be forced to lock up the school. The new teachers posted to the school left because of the condition of the place”.

He said that they had gone to the palace of the traditional ruler of the community to table our complaints and he had assured them that they would look into the matter.

When PUNCH Metro contacted the police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, on Wednesday, he promised the police would ensure full investigation into the matter.
“The police will ensure full investigations into the matter to address the issue so that the school premises are secured from encroachment of any kind. We urge the community not to take the law into their own hands.”