PORT HARCOURT — Panic gripped residents and business owners along Bernard Carr Street in Port Harcourt Township on Friday after some senior students of PABOD Secondary School allegedly went on a rampage, attacking traders, residents and vandalising property shortly after completing their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Eyewitnesses said the students turned the area into a battleground as they celebrated the end of their examinations, throwing stones, sachets of water and other objects at passersby, causing fear and disrupting business activities.
One of the victims, Mr. Ejima, sustained injuries, including a deep cut on his nose, after reportedly trying to stop some of the students from causing trouble near a business premises on Port Johnson Street.
Recounting his ordeal, Ejima said the students became violent after he attempted to chase them away from the area.
“The students were throwing stones and pure water, so I tried to stop them and drive them away from the business premises. As I was leaving, they started throwing stones at me and injured me,” he said.
Traders in the area also alleged that they came under attack when some of the students stormed a shop, seized bottles and began fighting among themselves before turning their anger on business owners who challenged them.
A shop attendant, Miss Amarachi, claimed the students forcefully entered her store, damaged property and assaulted workers after being prevented from taking bottles from the premises.
“The students were fighting outside and started taking our empty bottles. When we tried to stop them, they forced their way into our shop, began destroying things and attacked me inside. I managed to escape,” she said.
According to her, the students threatened to continue vandalising the shop until the owner arrived.
“They said until our oga comes to see them, they would keep destroying things and return again to cause more damage,” she added.
Another eyewitness, Johnson, told Daily Independent that one trader suffered a head injury during the incident, while several bottles and other goods were destroyed.
He further alleged that the students vandalised property along the street and carted away bags of sachet water loaded on a tricycle belonging to St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church.
The incident has sparked outrage among residents and traders, who are calling on the Rivers State Ministry of Education and security agencies to investigate the matter and put measures in place to prevent a recurrence.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, ASP Blessing Agabe, confirmed the incident, saying security operatives swiftly intervened and restored normalcy to the area.
She added that an investigation into the matter is currently underway.
