The Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has successfully evacuated a three-week-old baby, the mother and undergraduate students of Lagos extraction at the University of Jos, Plateau State, following the recent attacks and killings in the state.
The first set of evacuees, comprising 64 UNIJOS students and the three-week-old-baby named Daniella, who was reported to have been born shortly before the crisis in Plateau State by Manya Banfe, a 200-level student, arrived Lagos on Friday afternoon and met with Governor Sanwo-Olu at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, before being released to their families.
The students who were accompanied by security agents and government officials arrived at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa at 1:56pm with their belongings in a luxury bus and other vehicles.
The students who were so excited to be evacuated from crisis-hit Jos and other parts of Plateau State currently experiencing violence and killings in the last few weeks, sang praises and showered praises on Governor Sanwo-Olu and top officials of the Lagos State government for rescuing them from what they described as the ‘war zone.’
While receiving the students, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the evacuation showed that the state government had the capacity to respond to any emergency when it concerns the people of the state, especially the youths.
Represented by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, the governor said welfare packages had been arranged for the students to return to their families safe and sound.
The governor, who thanked God that no students from Lagos lost their lives in the incident and during the rescue operation, urged them to observe COVID-19 safety protocols and not to lose touch with their studies, as they returned to Lagos.
Speaking on behalf of the UNIJOS students, a 200-level student of the Department of Religion and Philosophy of the institution, Clinton Shotikare, thanked Governor Sanwo-Olu for coming to their rescue.
“On behalf of other students, I am saying a big thank you to the Lagos State government, especially the governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“We appreciate the governor and the state government for evacuating us from Plateau State.