Mr Ndubuisi Chibueze-Agbo, a former Commissioner for Education in Ebonyi, has lamented alleged looting and vandalism of his school property by hoodlums.
Chibueze-Agbo disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abakaliki.
Chibueze-Agbo, is the proprietor of Royal Comprehensive College, Mandate International School and Royal Demonstration Nursery and Primary Schools, located at Ezzamgbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area, sealed by Ebonyi Government.
He alleged that science equipment, computers and other vital instructional materials in the two secondary schools were either vandalised or looted.
Chibueze-Agbo accused the police, guarding the schools of doing little to ensure adequate protection of property after the schools were sealed by Ebonyi Government for alleged tax evasion.
“The report we have is that our science laboratory, computers and other valuable instructional materials including some classroom blocks in our two secondary schools currently under seal have been either looted or vandalised.
“We carried out discreet investigation and confirmed the report to be true and accordingly reported the incident at the Ohaukwu Divisional Police Headquarters, Ezzamgbo.
“The looting and vandalism took place while the property were under police occupation after they were sealed.
“Sadly, till date, nothing has been heard from the police and perpetrators of the dastardly act have neither been arrested nor unmasked for the law to take its cause.
“Our rights to ownership of the property have not been revoked nor the property forfeited to the state government, hence it remains the duty of the police to check illegal encroachment into the property”, Chibueze-Agbo said.
He further appealed to the police, enforcing the state government’s seal order to guarantee 24-hour security surveillance to deter hoodlums from gaining access into the property.
Meanwhile, Mrs Loveth Odah, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebonyi Police Command, said that the command was yet to receive report of any alleged looting and vandalism at the said property from Chibueze-Agbo or from the division.
“We are yet to receive this report and the proper procedure is for Chibueze-Agbo to petition a higher police authority instead of speaking to the press.
“Of what need is reporting to the press going to be under this situation? What he should have done was to bring a report to any of the superior commands, that he reported the matter at divisional police level and nothing was done.
“The superior police authority will then investigate why the division did not do anything about it.
“Anyway, my office has not been briefed, I am yet to receive any such report,’’ Odah said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three schools were sealed since 2017, while Chibueze-Agbo dragged the state government to court to challenge the action. (NAN)
