By John Ikani
The governments of Benue and Niger have evacuated students schooling in the University of Jos following the unrest and killings in the Plateau State capital.
No fewer than 400 indigenes of Benue State were conveyed with about 25 buses that arrived in Makurdi around 12 midnight on Friday, with heavy security attached to their convoy.
Benue state Commissioner of Education, Professor Dennis Ityavyar while receiving the students, expressed appreciation to God for their safety and peaceful return to the state.
Similarly, Niger State government has said citizens of the state at the University of Jos have been evacuated back home.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Noel Berje, said the evacuation became necessary, as the security situation in Plateau state had compelled the university management to suspend the second semester examinations for the 2019/2020 academic session.
Also, an indigenous organisation under the auspices of Abuja Original Youths Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO), in collaboration with National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has evacuated over 270 students who are natives and residents of Abuja from the state.
The president of AOIYEO, Commandant Isaac David, who responded swiftly to calls from natives and residents of Abuja schooling in Jos, said the evacuation of the students was necessary in order to prevent the death of indigenes and residents of Abuja in Jos.
David revealed that all the buses sent to convey the students from their various schools safely brought them back to Abuja, adding that another round of evacuation will be made on Saturday to ensure that all natives and residents of Abuja are brought back home, pending the period of the security crisis in Jos is brought under control.
It would be recalled that the Governor of the state, Simon Lalong on August 15, declared a 24-hour curfew in the Jos North Local Government Area of the state, following the massacre of about 22 travellers on Saturday by hoodlums.
The 24- hour curfew came on the heels of the earlier dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on three local government areas in the state, Bassa, Jos South, and Jos North, due to the security threats and tension witnessed by residents in some parts of the state.
But the situation keeps escalating with killings of students. The environment the school is situated at, is a danger zone and some students have been killed while others are missing.
