A coalition of civil society groups in Rivers State has condemned the alleged demolition of a secondary school building in Ahoada West Local Government Area by social media personality VeryDarkMan, describing the action as unlawful and unacceptable.
In a statement issued on Monday, the spokesperson of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups, Nasigba Peterside, criticized the incident, which reportedly occurred over the weekend, alleging that the activist arrived in the community with a bulldozer and began demolishing property belonging to the Rivers State Government.
Peterside said the structure allegedly demolished was a secondary school facility under the Rivers State Ministry of Education and warned that such action, carried out without authorization, undermines established government procedures.
He described the demolition of a functional school building without approval or alternative arrangements for students as reckless and irresponsible.
According to the coalition, the intervention of the member representing Ahoada West constituency in the House of Representatives, Victor Obuzor, prevented the complete demolition of the school.
The group emphasized that Rivers State is governed by constituted authorities responsible for managing public institutions and infrastructure, stressing that no individual has the right to enter the state and demolish government property without official approval.
Peterside noted that if the intention was to carry out an intervention project, the appropriate step would have been to consult the Rivers State Government through the Ministry of Education and formally present any proposed development plans.
He alleged that instead of following due process, the activist visited the community—reportedly after a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler—and proceeded with the demolition without authorization.
The coalition has therefore called on the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State to intervene and halt what it described as acts of irresponsibility and lawlessness directed at the people and government of the state.
The group also maintained that Rivers State is not seeking charity, adding that the government already has plans to rehabilitate public schools across the state. It noted that the Rivers State House of Assembly had previously declared a state of emergency in the education sector to address infrastructural challenges.
Peterside stressed that any intervention programme in the education sector must align with the development plans of the Rivers State Government.
He concluded by stating that the coalition strongly condemns the incident and called for all individuals involved, including any collaborators, to be held accountable to prevent a recurrence.
