The police in Delta are looking for an Asaba-based businessman, who allegedly ordered the demolition of a public primary school in Okpanam, near Asaba, on Saturday.

The man said to be a hotel owner and school proprietor in Asaba, allegedly sent some persons with a bulldozer to demolish New Era Primary School, Ogboami, Obodogwugwu community.

He was said to have claimed that the land on which the school was built by the state government belonged to him.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the school was completely destroyed, including the furniture.

Eyewitnesses told NAN that the persons, who carried out the act were escorted by a police patrol vehicle, marked “022”, and loaded with armed policemen.

They said that the policemen remained at the scene while the demolition lasted

“And they warned us and other people who attempted to salvage some items from the school to stay away,” witnesses said.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Delta, Mr Charles Muka, said that the man had gone into hiding but pledged that he would be apprehended.

He also said that detectives were on the trail of the agents who carried out the demolition and the policemen allegedly involved in the action.

"We have swung into action and everybody involved in the act, including the policemen, will be apprehended,’’ Muka said.

Inspecting the demolished school on Monday, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, described the act as “terrorism”.

“If a man can do this, completely bringing down a public school where children are being taught to be useful to the society, then he is a terrorist and must be treated as such," the commissioner said