ALADJA/ISABA WAR: Delta community teachers, students remain displaced after 9 years
Delta LG Post
•How purported Ijaw fighters destroyed Epame Primary School in 2016- Residents

•School temporarily relocated to Aladja community hall; Students trek over 10 km daily

•Epame community begs Oborevwori to rebuild school

By Akpokona Omafuaire

EPAME—PUPILS and teachers of Epame Primary School, Epame in Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, who, supposed combatants from Isaba in Warri South-West Local Government Area, devastated their institution in 2016, have remained displaced for nine years.

The attackers ruthlessly devastated the school founded in 1955 and reconstructed with modern facilities by the Delta State Oil Producing Communities Development Commission, DESOPADEC, in 2014.

What shocked the Epame villagers was that they had no dispute with Isaba, which was in a war with Aladja community in Udu Local Government Area, and destroyed their community without provocation.

The dislocated teachers and pupils have been using the community hall in Aladja to learn since 2016. The pupils trek over 10 km to and from Epame, and those who cannot trek the distance have dropped out.

Residents called on the governor, Rt Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to rescue them and rebuild the school.

School, entire community vandalized —Chief Oweh, Epame community chair

The chairman of Epame community and Utiri of Udu Kingdom, Chief Ezekiel Oweh, told NDV: “The school was destroyed by Isaba people, who came to burn the community. We have no problem with them; we had a pending court case. I was in the community when the Isaba youths came and said, ‘You people are still here; we asked you to leave, and you do not want to leave.’


•How purported Ijaw fighters destroyed Epame Primary School in 2016- Residents

•School temporarily relocated to Aladja community hall; Students trek over 10 km daily

•Epame community begs Oborevwori to rebuild school

By Akpokona Omafuaire

EPAME—PUPILS and teachers of Epame Primary School, Epame in Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, who, supposed combatants from Isaba in Warri South-West Local Government Area, devastated their institution in 2016, have remained displaced for nine years.

The attackers ruthlessly devastated the school founded in 1955 and reconstructed with modern facilities by the Delta State Oil Producing Communities Development Commission, DESOPADEC, in 2014.

What shocked the Epame villagers was that they had no dispute with Isaba, which was in a war with Aladja community in Udu Local Government Area, and destroyed their community without provocation.

The dislocated teachers and pupils have been using the community hall in Aladja to learn since 2016. The pupils trek over 10 km to and from Epame, and those who cannot trek the distance have dropped out.

Residents called on the governor, Rt Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to rescue them and rebuild the school.

School, entire community vandalized —Chief Oweh, Epame community chair

The chairman of Epame community and Utiri of Udu Kingdom, Chief Ezekiel Oweh, told NDV: “The school was destroyed by Isaba people, who came to burn the community. We have no problem with them; we had a pending court case. I was in the community when the Isaba youths came and said, ‘You people are still here; we asked you to leave, and you do not want to leave.’

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“Like a joke, at about 10 pm that night, they came again and started shooting and burning everywhere. The school was not burned but vandalized completely, including the roofing. After a week, they burned our town hall and vandalized everything in the community.

“Because of the destruction, many people, including myself, now squat in Aladja. We are scattered; we want the school rebuilt and the government to support the rebuilding of Epame.

School has turned into a thick bush now — Borotugbare, community leader

An Epame community leader, Joseph Brotugbare, said: “The school was built in 1955 as a Local Education Authority (LEA) Primary School; afterwards, they renamed it Epame Primary School. When the structures became old, DESOPADEC in 2014 built the new structures. In 2016, Isaba people invaded the community and burned the town.”

“That destruction led to the vandalization of the school, and it has turned into a thick bush now. We want the school rebuilt because our children trek about 10 km to Aladja or paddle to the Oteri community to attend school.

“We earnestly plead with the government to rebuild the school to enable our children to learn in their community. The school has a good football pitch, standard classrooms, toilets, and lighting. Many people lived in the village, but we are scattered now. I attended the school and left in 1975.”

Our school needs to be rebuilt — Matthew, Epame youth leader

The Epame youth leader, James Matthew, asserted: “The school was beautiful before it was destroyed. I attended the school that Isaba people destroyed. Our children suffer as they trek over 10 km to school in Aladja and return daily. We want the government to re-erect the school for us so that our children can learn here.

They destroyed our homes and school — Ojakovo, a villager

Samson Ojakovo, an Epame indigene, said: “Isaba people invaded Epame to raze down the community and our houses in 2016 during a crisis with Aladja. Without warning, they attacked and destroyed our homes and scattered the school. We ran away then and later returned, but our children suffer today because they destroyed our school.

“The pupils have to trek over 10 km to Aladja daily, and those that cannot walk stay at home idle. We want the government to come to our aid and rebuild the school for us; it will help fast-track our resettlement. I attended this school in those days. The Delta Oil Commission reconstructed the school after the old structures became dilapidated.

“The six-classroom school was well-equipped with staff offices and restrooms; there were enough teachers. But the school is overgrown with trees now. We plan to clear the school field and surroundings next week.

Isaba had a dispute with Aladja, not Epame — Ighotegwolo, youth leader

Bezi Ighotegwolor, an Aladja youth leader, said: “The Epame Primary School was destroyed by the invading fighters from Isaba unprovoked because of the war between them and Aladja. The well-equipped, conventional, and contemporary school was a sight to behold before its destruction.

“The earlier mud classrooms were pulled down and reconstructed by the DESOPADEC; it was designed into a six-classroom block, teachers’ offices, and toilet because the population was not large. The school was booming then, but teachers and pupils are now scattered.

“Presently, the school is quartered in a community hall in Aladja because Epame community is affiliated with Aladja, and that was why the Isaba people attacked it. There was no need for the invasion because Epame had no issue or disagreement with Isaba people.

“It was devastating and shocking when we heard of the invasion, which was why Aladja housed them in Aladja. Now, the children from Epame and Ayame communities trek about 10 km to Aladja daily to school. It is an agonizing experience, and I support the government’s call to expedite the construction of the school so that these kids can receive relief. The Udu Local Government Area chairman should liaise with the governor so that they can rebuild the school.”



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/aladja-isaba-war-delta-community-teachers-students-remain-displaced-after-9-years/