The Cross River State Government has evacuated no fewer than 37 of its indigenes studying at the University of Jos following heightened security concerns in Jos.
The move came after distress calls from the students, who reportedly raised alarm over rising insecurity and fears of possible attacks in parts of the city.
In a statement on Sunday the Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Affairs, Joseph-Kelvin Enyam, said the government acted promptly after the situation was brought to its attention.
He said Governor Bassey Otu directed the immediate evacuation of all affected students to ensure their safety pending the restoration of normalcy.
According to Enyam, the state government first liaised with the university management to assemble the students in secure locations ahead of the evacuation.
“We reached out to the university authorities and requested that our students be gathered in safe locations for easy evacuation, while those off-campus were advised to remain indoors until our arrival,” he said.
He added that a delegation from the state government travelled to Plateau State to coordinate the evacuation exercise.
The governor’s aide disclosed that the team, accompanied by security personnel, moved across different parts of Jos to pick up the students, including those residing off-campus.
He noted that areas such as Angwa Rukuba were covered, with students safely evacuated under security escort.
Enyam further revealed that officials of the Plateau State Government provided support for the operation, with the state Security Adviser, Shipi Gakji, deploying personnel and escort vehicles to facilitate movement through volatile areas.
He said the students had been successfully evacuated and transported back to Cross River State, where they would remain until the security situation improves.
The government, he added, remains committed to the safety and welfare of Cross River students studying in institutions across the country.
