Following the tense security situation in Plateau, the Kaduna State government has evacuated its students studying at the University of Jos and other tertiary institutions within the neighboring state. The Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Scholarship and Loans Board, Rilwan Hassan, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, said the evacuation was concluded last weekend in line with the state government’s directive.
According to Mr. Hassan, the move is to ensure that all students of Kaduna State are not trapped or cut in a crossfire, even as the situation tends to be further degenerating. He explained that 87 students were evacuated on Friday last week by security agencies under the supervision of the board and have since been reunited with their families. The scholarship board chief promised that the body would continue to remain proactive in such kind of volatile situations and assured Kaduna citizens of the commitment to securing the lives of the state’s students in Plateau and elsewhere. In a similar vein, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has ordered the immediate evacuation of students of Delta origin from crisis troubled Jos following renewed crisis and security concerns in Plateau State.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Student’s Affairs, Jerry Ehiwario, said that the evacuation exercise commenced on Thursday. He commended the governor for the prompt approval for the exercise, adding that the lives of Delta students were very dear to the state. Ehiwaro also commended the Secretary to the State Government, Patrick Ukah, for his proactiveness and prompt response to the governor’s directive. He stated further that the government has despatched three buses with police escorts to move Delta students from the troubled zone.
“When we heard about the incident in Jos, I (Ehiwario) wrote to the governor, informing him on the need to evacuate students of Delta origin from the crisis zone,” he said. “The governor graciously approved the evacuation which commenced today Thursday, August 26.”
By Olanrewaju Oyedeji,
News Digest