Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
The Abia State government yesterday closed down a primary school in Umuahia, the state capital following the discovery of objects suspected to be explosive devices (EDs) at the school.
Pupils of the Union Primary School, Afaraukwu in Umuahia North Local Government Area, were said to have discovered the suspected EDs at their school farm.
It was gathered that the pupils had fled in panic after one of them out of curiosity struck one of the suspicious objects with a hoe causing smoke to filter out.
It was when the panic-stricken pupils reported their findings to their teachers that the police were alerted and an anti-bomb squad was promptly sent to the school to investigate and remove the suspected EDs.
The state Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu explained in a statement that the state government decided to shut down the school as a precautionary measure to enable the relevant security agencies do their investigation.
He assured that “necessary measures have been taken to protect the pupils and staff of the school with security sweeps ongoing while the school is temporarily closed”.
The commissioner stated that the state government was “working with relevant security agencies in the state to unravel the source and nature of the suspected explosive devices.
“While initial examination of the devices show evidence of corrosion leading to suspicion of the materials being relics of the civil war era, we are awaiting definite the official report from the EOD squad of the Nigeria Police who are currently investigating the incident,” he said.
Okiyi said that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had directed security agencies “to embark on proactive checks in other vulnerable locations out of abundance of caution”.
He government was grateful to God that no harm was done to life or property, adding, “we urge citizens and residents to continue to maintain vigilance and report suspicious situations to security agents”.
However the state police command through the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna has confirmed that the EDs were actually civil war relics, adding that further investigation was ongoing to find out if there were other EDs in the area.
Afaraukwu part of Umuahia was a theatre of war during the Civil War and unexploded bombs were being discovered in the area.
