Jos crisis: Ekiti, Delta, Abia, Kogi, Kwara begin evacution of indigenes

Written by Stephen Gbadamosi, Johnson Babajide and Yekini Jimoh


As death toll continues to rise in the present religious violence in Jos, Plateau State, Ekiti State governor, Mr. Segun Oni has ordered the immediate evacuation of over 200 Ekiti indigenes residing in the city, promising that “all indigenes of the state living in Jos, will be evacuated before Sunday.”

Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre, said in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, that the state Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relation, Mr. Segun Ilori, who was handling the evacuation, had been mandated to see to the welfare of the people.

Governor Oni said the state government would not fold its arms and let indigenes of the State suffer unduly, hence the decision to evacuate the state’s indigenes from Jos.

The governor’s spokesman, who disclosed that the over 200 Ekiti indigenes living in Jos are now being camped at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), awaiting evacuation to Ekiti State, said the state government had put measures in place to provide for other immediate needs of victims of the Jos crisis.

Meanwhile, the Delta State government has commenced the evacuation of its indigenes caught in the religious crisis in Jos, Plateau State, back home in order to ensure that no Deltan is left stranded in the conflict areas.

Already, the first batch of those evacuated has already arrived Asaba, the state capital.

The state government took the step following the personal intervention of the governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, who immediately directed relevant government departments and agencies to ensure that those evacuated be assisted to return to their homes and reunite with their families in different parts of the state.

According to a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Oma Djebah, the state government has already put up a team headed by the Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Honourable Ross Uredi and made up of officials of the State Emergency Relief Agency, among others, to bring all Deltans trapped in the crisis back home safely.

Also, part of his avowed commitment to protect every citizen of Abia State both those at home and abroad, the state governor, Chief Theordore Orji, has directed the immediate evacuation of all Abia indigenes especially students of Abia State origin holed up in troubled Plateau State .

Two luxury buses with armed policemen will be stationed at the Abuja Hostel, University of Jos, to commence evacuation of Abians from the crisis area from Saturday January 23, 2010.

To this end, relatives of all Abians, accordng to a statement, residing in Jos were to contact their beloved ones and notify them of the governments, humanitarian gesture as well as inform them of the evacuation point.

Similarly, the Kogi State government on Thursday despatched 20 buses to Jos to evacuate its indigenes who have been trapped in the crisis-ridden city.

A statement issued yesterday stated that the Toyota Hiace and Coaster buses were despatched to evacute citizens of Kogi state.

In the statement signed by Mr Richard Elesho, Director – General, Press Affairs, the decision to send the buses was in line with the government’s established tradition of coming to the response of its indigenes during emergencies.

The statement added that the state Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr. Henry Ukwubile and the Special Adviser to the governor on Students Affairs, Mr Mohammed Ali, were assigned to coordinate the assignment.

The governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, according to the release appealed to Nigerians to be their brother’s keeper and preserve the unity of the country as he condemned the crisis in the tin city.

Kwara state governor, Dr Bukola Saraki, had said that government had concluded arrangements to evacuate Kwarans residing in the crisis areas of Jos in Plateau State.

Speaking with newsmen on Thursday at the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ilorin, after meeting with the leadership of the party in the state, Dr. Saraki expressed the hope that the situation would quickly return to normalcy, stressing that already Kwara State government had concluded arrangements for Kwarans to be brought back home.

Evacuate them to which place?. Will they also evacuate their almajiri indigenes?

Delta state does not have almajiris or whatever you call them.

Should I belief that the Plateau state is a no go area for other Nigerians if they are not Native of Plateau?

The slogan used to be "One Nigeria"
With all the relocations as a result of insecurity,is it still one nigeria?

These are one Nigeria shaped by Dirty Stinking Hausa/Fulanis and Corrupt Yorubas.

wily wily can your father read?


i dont see whats wrong with this. one nigeria doesn't mean nigeria will be like the US, the reality is that nigerian's federalism will have to be looser then that of other federal republics and this means evacutation and relocation is a reality n there's nothing wrong with that. at least someone is trying to save these ppl.

Look at where Dirty stinking Hausa/Fulani and Corrupt blind Yorubas led Nigeria into.

hmmm