We Shall Continue to Respond to Emergencies to Ensure Safety of Our People – Oyetola
The Governor of Osun State, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola has assured the people of the state that his administration will not spare any effort in ensuring desired educational development and safety of its students studying in any part of Nigeria.
Oyetola said one of the outstanding values of the state is education which must be sustained to secure a better future for the state while promising to continue support Osun students studying in any of the country within the available resources.
Governor Oyetola said this on Sunday while receiving the students of Osun origin into the state following the unrest in Jos, capital of Plateau State.
Plateau which is part of the north-central has with renewed unrest in some parts of the state in the last few days. The student were evacuated to Osun with Police escort from Plateau State.
Receiving the students at Government House, Oke-Fia, Osogbo, Governor Oyetola who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, commended the security operatives especially the Nigerian Police for ensuring the security of the students into the state.
“When we heard the news on Monday, the Governor directed immediate evacuation of the students by the appropriate authorities in charge of education and students matter, the students assured that they are all safe, on that strength, we relaxed.
“We were still contacting the University of Jos Vice-Chancellor who kept on assuring the students security, but all of a sudden, on Friday, we received a report that there is still danger and that is why we have to take proactive action to evacuate the students from the state.”
” I thank God that you all arrived safely and urge you not to be distracted, contrate on your study at home and avoid unnecessary gathering and take necessary precautions because COVID-19 is still real, use your time at home productively and don’t return until there is assurance from security agents that all is well.
“As a government, we shall continue to respond to emergencies to ensure safety of our people in any part of Nigeria.”
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Affairs and Social Mobilization, Comrade Kehinde Ayantuji, in his address explained that the distress call to evacuate the students of Osun origin heated up about 48hours when the students could not bear the crisis in Jos.
” The Governor had contemplated arranging a flight for the students but the process of evacuation was tedious as a result of the 24-hour curfew in Jos, our students could not access the airport, they were picked up in different locations at the various flash points, we resulted to road evacuation with Police escort from Plateau state police command.
“We were able to evacuate the students with the help of the commissioner of Police, Plateau State. They arrived the state about 2 PM on Sunday.” Ayantunji said.
The Osun State Students Coordinator in UNIJOS, Oluwasanmi Sinmiloluwa, narrating the ordeal said the atmosphere in Jos was tense and the lives of the students were threatened as the crisis grew.
“The police was going around with Armoured Personnel Carrier to pick students from their hostels. We were under the rain and sun for hours. We thank God that we are finally in our state. We thank Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for prompt response to secure our lives.”
Dignitaries at the reception include; the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Hon Yemi Lawal, Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Hon Jamiu Olawumi, President National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS) Wasiu Sanusi, President Oduduwa Students in UNIJOS, Adewole Kolawole among others.
