From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
Suspected assassins have invaded Nkaleke Achara Community Secondary School, Ojiegbe in Ebonyi LGA of Ebonyi State, and shot dead the principal, Simon Ominyi, popularly known as “Osmosis.”
We gathered that the assailants after pumping bullets into the about 50-year-old principal also murdered a yet-to-be named teacher in the school.
The incident which occurred on Friday, October 13, has caused tension in the area, raising concerns whether students and teachers would still return to the school.
The community has been completely deserted as its leaders and stakeholders fled perhaps for fear of further attack or arrest by security agencies.
Police spokesperson for the Ebonyi State Command, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya confirmed the incident to Daily Sun.
When our correspondent visited the area, a resident who pleaded anonymity said there was no trouble in the community before the three men armed with AK47 and other guns stormed the school in a tricycle and caused mayhem.
The source disclosed that the miscreants arrived the school premises as if they were on a genuine mission, inquired about the principal’s office from someone who led them to a distance before pointing at the office. But shortly after, they began to shoot sporadically.
“Immediately the assassins found their way into the principal’s office, they commanded the man and his guests from WAEC office to lie down and Mr Ominyi having sensed the danger, complied without hesitation.
“But surprisingly, in spite of the principal’s plea and non-resistance to their order, they still shot him to death on the spot,” he said.
A kiosk operator in the area who allegedly witnessed the incident said once the hoodlums invaded the compound, “they opened fire and, in the process, shot the principal and one of the teachers to death before shattering the legs of another another person with gun and made away with his brand-new motorcycle.”
She said that the hoodlums escaped through different routes leading to the remote part of the council area.
It could not be ascertained what triggered the attack.