From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

STUDENTS of St. Pius X Grammar School in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State are yet to recover from shock following the invasion of the school’s premises by vicious youths who came in with various brands of motorcycles.

The vicious youths suspected to be hoodlums were said to have angrily entered the school and made straight to the principal’s office were they allegedly held the principal, Rev. Fr. Anthony Banye hostage for hours, and warned him that he was over stepping his territory boundary.

Still beaming with anger, the youths allegedly headed to the perimeter fencing being erected by members of the Class of ’84’ of the institution’s old boys association, and brought down the fence.

The action of the youths caused pandemonium as hundreds of students in the boarding house scampered for safety.

Lamenting the destruction in Asaba yesterday, the Vice President of the school’s Old Boys’ Association, Austine Nwamu described the action of the irate youths as “a downright attack on the destiny of the students.”

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Supported by other members, including Awazia Eyimofor, Charles Ogodi and Mr. Ogorchukwu Nwaolor, Nwamu expressed displeasure that about N9 million, out of the N16 million required for the parameter fencing of the 50 years old school had been wasted.

“N16 million was estimated to fence the school round and provide adequate protection for the pupils. With this act, about N9 million which we sourced from donors and injected into the project has been wasted,” he said.

Nwamu alleged that the youths came from neighbouring Igbodo community in Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state.

“We don’t want to engage our neighbouring town in a communal war. So, something should be done by government and relevant authorities before it degenerates into serious crisis,” he said.

He disclosed that the matter had been reported to the monarch of Onicha-Ugbo, and his Igbodo counterpart as the state police command and the Department of Security Service (DSS).

According to him, the school has never had any boundary dispute with anyone since it was founded in 1959, and wondered what was the motive of the angry youths, particularly for the fact that the fence project was being done by an association.