The recent arson attack on the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Study Centre in Ezeoke Nsu, Ehime Mbano Local Council Area of Imo State, has sent shockwaves through the community. The destruction, reportedly carried out by suspected hoodlums, has left the facility—a product of significant investment and effort from local residents—in ruins.
This federal institution was strategically established in a region that had previously seen little governmental presence. The estimated damage exceeds ₦4 billion, impacting crucial facilities including a new regional JAMB Centre, a state-of-the-art auditorium, and advanced science laboratories designed for skills acquisition. These vital resources have now been reduced to rubble.
The motives behind this tragic event appear rooted in misinformation and incitement, with speculation surrounding individuals driven by hatred, jealousy, and ignorance. A community leader described the incident as “willful destruction” and a “gross act of arson,” indicating that those responsible acted out of a misguided sense of purpose.
Efforts to enhance the study centre included collaborations with private sector operators and government agencies to train local youth and equip them for future opportunities. Ironically, it was these very youths who were misled into believing the centre was an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp, resulting in its destruction.
Senator Frank Ibezim, one of the project’s facilitators, and his family are among those who have suffered immense losses, having seen their life’s work and property consumed in the chaos spurred by erroneous branding of the institution.
As the community reflects on this devastation, pressing questions arise: What do the people of Ndigbo stand to gain from turning against themselves? What is achieved through the destruction of public property? How long will it take to recover and replace what has been lost at the NOUN centre? Why must progressive initiatives be sabotaged?
The implications of this incident are profound, not only for the Ezeoke Nsu community but for the Ndigbo at large. The loss of such educational and developmental resources represents a significant setback, calling for introspection and unity among the people to prevent further self-inflicted harm.
