Lira City Copa Coca-Cola post-primary football tournament has been indefinitely suspended due to the chaos that has ensued between the long-time rival schools, Lira Town College and Lango College, both located in Lira city.
Hundreds of students of Lira Town College allegedly marched on Sunday morning, from their school in Lira city East division through the city center and attacked Lango College in Lira City West.
Armed with sticks and stones, the self-proclaimed ‘Russian Commandos’ stormed Lango College’s gate and tried to force it open before they started hurling stones and damaging the school bus and some vehicles.
According to the watchmen at the gate, the number of assailers was overwhelming and one of the students gonged the bell, jolting their students out of prayer.
Lango College students who referred to themselves as ‘Ukrainians’ responded and arrested three alleged attackers whom they wanted to lynch, but were saved by the school administrators.
Sammmy Bob Okino, the head teacher of Lango College revealed that one of the leaders of the chaos was a student of Dr Obote CCollege, Boroboro, which is 8km away.
“We are yet to learn the reasons for the attack,” he said.
The school football pitch and near the gate was littered with broken bricks, stones and sticks. The school bus and two vehicles belonging to teachers were damaged.
Sophia Rose Acen, the headteacher of Lira Town College, who is also the chairperson of the Lira Headteachers Association reportedly said her students were reacting to the previous day’s attack in which three of their players were injured.
Three students are still nursing injuries in the aftermath of the clash. Acen regretted the incident and owned responsibilities for the damages at Lango College.
Resolutions.
Acen revealed that 58 students were arrested and held at Lira Central Police Station while those injured were in stable conditions getting treatment. She did not reveal the names of the injured students.
She suggested a roundtable resolution to quell the feud between the two schools before it goes out of hand.
Both schools have called for deployment of security forces to patrol the schools in anticipation of retaliatory attacks.
Regional Police spokesperson, Jimmy Okema said the students of Lira Town College went on the rampage and even stole chapattis from the roadside vendors as they moved to Lango College where they caused damages.
He added that the student leaders will be charged with malicious damage to property, theft and assault.
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