Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has facilitated the rescue and evacuation of 37 indigenes studying at the University of Jos following growing security concerns in the area.
The development comes amid increasing incidents of violence in Plateau State, which have led to loss of lives and heightened fears among residents and students.
The governor’s Special Assistant on Student Affairs, Joseph-Kelvin Enyam, disclosed this in a statement issued in Calabar.
According to him, “A few days ago, we received a deeply distressing call from Cross River State students studying at the University of Jos, Plateau State.”
“Their voices were filled with fear, and reports of insecurity, killings, and uncertainty had turned what should be a safe academic environment into a zone of anxiety and survival.
“Immediately, His Excellency, our compassionate Governor Bassey Otu, upon being briefed, did not hesitate. He gave a firm directive: mobilise, deploy, and ensure the safe evacuation of every Cross River student back home until normalcy is restored,’ he said.
He disclosed that he personally led the team to Plateau State, accompanied by the Senate President of NACRISS Worldwide, arriving in Jos in the early hours of Friday.
Giving more details about the rescue mission, he said, “We moved into high-risk areas, including Angwa Rukuba, where a number of our students resided off campus. Street by street, house by house, we located them, reassured them, and safely evacuated them under security escort,” he said.
He said the rescue mission has again demonstrated that Governor Otu is a student-friendly governor whose leadership truly reflects a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and also that leadership is most meaningful when it shows up in moments of crisis.
He acknowledged the support of the Plateau State Security Adviser, Gen. Shipi Gakji (retd.), who demonstrated exceptional cooperation by deploying additional security personnel and two fully equipped vans to escort them through volatile areas.
He also thanked the Chief of Staff to the governor, Chief Hon. Emmanuel Ironbar, and other partners, particularly Barr. Ekpenyong Akiba, for making the exercise a success.
