Shock and Surprise Over Stabbing Of Nigerian Teacher

50-Year old Vincent Uzomah, according to the Metro Newspaper, was knifed in the stomach soon after starting to teach his science lesson at Dixons Kings Academy in Bradford, before 9am on Thursday. Uzomah, a supply – temporary – teacher, who was rushed to the hospital afterwards, had asked one of his pupils, a 14-year old, to hand over his phone.

Quoting what an eye witness who told the BBC, the Metro reported that when asked to hand over the phone, “He  – pupil – just got something out of his pocket and stabbed him and ran off.”  Another student said: “It just happened in seconds. We were just sitting down and a student just had his phone out, and that’s it. Just about a phone.”

Uzomah, who, according to the paper, lives with his wife in Leeds, had only been at the school for just three weeks before being stabbed on Thursday. A pupil described him as someone who never shouted and that he is “polite.”

Neighbours of Uzomah and his wife in Leeds described them as being a “friendly” couple. One said: “I know that Vincent has worked at a school in Bradford in the past because we have spoken about how naughty the children were there.”

Although West Yorkshire Police arrested the pupil in the early afternoon of Thursday, it is not yet clear when he will be charged to court. Uzomah, meanwhile, was said to be in a stable condition as at Thursday night.

When The Guardian spoke to an Ex-officio member of Anambra State Union in the UK and Ireland, Alex Achebe – nephew of the late Prof. Chinua Achebe – he said “I’ll see what we can do in terms of support,” even though nobody has called concerning the incident. “It is very likely he may not have associated with the community, otherwise, I should have received calls,” about it. Despite that, he also promised to bring it up with the Central Association of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, CANUK, where he is one of the vice-chairmen.

Another member of the Igbo community also told The Guardian he would ask round if anyone knows Uzomah or the family. “The Ohaneze should be the one who will help,”The Guardian contact said, speaking under anonymity. Earlier, he expressed his shock, saying, “Oh, is he a Nigerian? I just heard on the news that a teacher was stabbed.”