A silent emergency is unfolding in Omerelu, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, where Government Secondary School, Omerelu, has become a stark symbol of neglect, insecurity and lost educational opportunities.
Once a thriving centre of learning, the public school has reportedly been taken over by suspected herdsmen, forcing academic activities to a halt and replacing classrooms with grazing fields. Today, cattle roam freely within the school premises, while teachers and students stay away in fear.
The situation came into public focus on Thursday, December 11, 2025, when displaced students and a prominent community opinion leader briefed journalists shortly after the commissioning of the Egbeda–Omerelu Link Road by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Residents described the irony of the moment as painful: a newly constructed road meant to open up development now leads directly to an abandoned and vandalised school struggling to survive.
Located along the newly inaugurated road, Government Secondary School, Omerelu, presents a disturbing sight. Dilapidated classroom blocks, broken windows and collapsing roofs point to years of neglect. Inside the classrooms, broken desks lie scattered, many allegedly burnt and used as firewood by the occupying herdsmen.
Community members said the charred remains of school furniture are daily reminders of the destruction of a public institution meant to secure the future of local children.
Students who recently visited the premises described an environment too hostile for learning, citing fear, intimidation and the absence of security. Teachers, it was gathered, have abandoned the school due to safety concerns, while parents have withdrawn their children en masse.
Some families now send their wards to distant communities, while others keep them at home, uncertain of what the future holds.
Speaking on behalf of the affected students, community leader Mr. Obinichi Amadi described the situation as an educational emergency with serious security implications. He warned that the continued occupation of the school by suspected herdsmen exposes children to grave danger and could trigger wider conflict if left unaddressed.
According to Amadi, the school was established to serve Omerelu and neighbouring communities along the Egbeda axis. However, years of infrastructural decay, lack of fencing and absence of security gradually weakened the institution, creating room for illegal occupation.
He said repeated appeals to relevant authorities produced little response, allowing the problem to worsen quietly over time.
“The contradiction is painful,” Amadi said. “A fine road now leads here, yet our only secondary school lies in ruins. Development without education is empty and dangerous.”
Students who spoke during the briefing lamented the disruption of their education and the collapse of their dreams. Community elders also warned that prolonged school closure could expose young people to crime, street trading, child labour and other social vices.
They argued that the alleged use of public school property as firewood reflects a complete breakdown in the protection of government assets.
While observers note that many rural schools across Rivers State face similar neglect, they insist that the situation in Omerelu is urgent and worsening.
The community is now calling on the Rivers State Government to intervene immediately by declaring Government Secondary School, Omerelu, a priority project. They are demanding urgent rehabilitation of classrooms, replacement of furniture, restoration of basic facilities, proper fencing of the school and deployment of security personnel.
Amadi appealed directly to Governor Fubara, expressing confidence in his people-centred leadership and urging swift action to reverse years of decay and restore public confidence.
Residents insist that true development must extend beyond road construction to education.
“A road that leads to an abandoned school leads nowhere,” they warned.
It was gathered that the school has been in a deplorable condition for nearly two decades. For the people of Omerelu, the message is clear and urgent: Government Secondary School, Omerelu, must be rescued now, or an entire generation risks losing its future.
