A newly constructed block at St. Winifred Girls Secondary School in Ihugh has been gutted by fire, with heavy smoke rising from the damaged structure as captured in circulating videos. The incident has left the roof of the long red building severely burnt and collapsed in sections, while people gathered around the scene to assess the damage.
Former students of the school have expressed deep distress over the destruction. One alumna, Bagidi Doose Doreen, recounted how she and other pioneer students laboured to help build the school’s facilities while their parents paid fees. She recalled starting in JSS 2 when the school had only one classroom block, one hostel and one administrative building, noting that she personally contributed to the construction of every other structure on the premises.
The former students lamented that the host community in Ihugh has made it clear they are no longer welcome and do not wish to protect them. They called on the Bishop to relocate the school away from the present location and away from the Kunav people. They also decried that the founder’s efforts and the sacrifices of the pioneer sets are being destroyed, while current students are being traumatized.
Other residents reacting to the incident questioned whether the repeated occurrence of such fires is still normal and suggested that the Catholic Church should consider shutting down or relocating the school to a more accommodating community. The affected parties have demanded justice, stating that enough roundtable talks have already been held.
