Over 2000 students stranded as windstorm destroys schools in Obiano’s Aguleri home town

 

AGULERI, Anambra, Nigeria – Heavy windstorm has wrecked havoc in Aguleri,  Willie Obiano’s community in Anamnra East Local Government Area of Anamnra State,  destroying residential and school buildings.

The incident which occurred on Saturday  night  threw the community into confusion as over 50 buildings were affected. Our reporter who visited the community ,discovered that the  wind storm also damaged  one of the internally displaced persons ( IDP )  camps at  Father Joseph Memorial High  School,  where over ten buildings were badly  damaged.

The students of Father Joseph High  school, Aguleri had  just returned from the Easter break for their  academic activities  only  for  the windstorm to destroy their hostels and other  buildings in the school  .

Master  Chidera Udo and Akachukwhu Atupulazi said they were in the hostel that night when the heavy wind started to blowing off   the roofs  causing them to scamper for safety while the storm lasted.

“We were in the hostel when the breeze started , it was pushing our doors and started taking the roofs off. We were all scared. “he said. The principal of the school, Rev Father Anthony Okoye who described the incident as shocking and devastating, said the windstorm destroyed several buildings including refectory, teachers quarters classroom blocks,  and hostels , thereby leaving more than two thousand students stranded .

” I have never seen such devastating incident, almost all the buildings in the school were affected. We are really calling on government ,  National Emergence Management Authority (NEMA), State Emergence Management Authority  (SEMA) and Churches to  come to our aid. The students will soon start exams and there is no enough classrooms for them now. “he said

One of the old boys of the school, Mr  Mike Meze while thanking God that no life was lost during the windstorm,  said the development calls for  urgent government assistance to enable the students especially those in junior and senior secondary  classes to  resume their studies.

According to him, the windstorm destroyed even the new structures that were recently  erected for  them by the old Boys Association.

“We are really confused , we had a plan that before the end of this year , we will build big structure here that will also have sick bay, but look at this now, in fact government must act fast to rescue them.”

 

Also ,at  Justice Chinwuba Memorial Secondary School, Aguleri, the windstorm  blew off roofs  thereby forcing  students  to study   under the tree.  The principal of the school, Mr Emmanuel Anerobi  appealed to spirited individuals and government to urgently   intervene and assist the school so that student can resume normal academic activities in a decent buildings .

” My dear we are in need now , look at our classroom block, I told the contractor when he was roofing this structure that he was using substandard materials , now see it, the windstorm has carried it away. ” he said

A board member in charge of Post Primary School Service Commission , Otuocha Zone, Chief Joe Enemou and the Zonal Director of the commission in the area , Mrs  Ogochukwu Obi who were on ground to inspect the level of damage done to the schools described the incident as colossal ,stating that only the federal and state governments  can  be able to handle the level of devastations.

“We thank God no life was lost and no child was injured. This is a serious damage done to the schools and we are pleading to government to come immediately to assist .”they said

The windstorm also affected private buildings and shops , causing untold hardship to the people who are predominantly farmers.

Mr. Chyukwudi Onyejekwe, one of   the representative of the Executive Secretary in   the state, Chief Paul Odenigbo said “this is the biggest holding camp we have in the state for flood victims, even the blocks  we  use to camp them, everything was destroyed”

According to him, they have  contacted NEMA immediately to come and see things for themselves and help  as the state cannot handle it alone. He also said  several other residential houses and places of worship were also destroyed by the windstorm.

Speaking with newsmen after a joint assessment of the windstorm damage with SEMA, the Zonal Coordinator of  NEMA  Enugu, Mr Major Eze said an official report would be sent to the federal government for urgent intervention to the affected victims even as he expressed shock over the level of destruction.