Ebonyi warns against encroachment on school lands

The Ebonyi State government has warned members of the public and various interest groups in the state against encroaching on school lands.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mr Ndubuisi Chibueze-Agbo, told journalists that government was already working on a plan to reclaim all school lands illegally acquired by people.

He said that government would no longer tolerate illegal occupation of school lands by groups, associations or individuals in whatever guise or reason.

He said that school lands, like any other schools’ property, belonged to government, adding that no person or group had the right to use them without approval.

According to him, the Ministry of Education has sent a memorandum to the State Executive Council for approval to seize all property illegally located on school lands across the state.

“Trespass is a criminal offence and we cannot allow that on our schools’ property. Those who have occupied either partly or in full, any of our school lands shall be made to forfeit them.

“We shall use every instrument of law to reclaim every land that has been taken over by groups or individuals,’’ he said.

He said that the ministry would recommend for immediate demolition of a two-storey building built on the football field of Urban Model Secondary School, Okpaugwu in Abakaliki.

He advised heads of primary and post primary schools in the state to be vigilant and report any case of encroachment on such lands to government.