The Rivers State Government has condemned the brutal killing of students by gunmen in University of Jos of campus.
The Rivers State Commissioner for education, Hon. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, stated this while receiving 32 Rivers State indigenes who were rescued by the Rivers State government in the affected institution.
Recall theportcitynews reported that students of Rivers origin in UniJos sent an SOS to the Rivers state government pleading for a speedy evacuation after gunmen stormed the institution and shot several students.
Gogo-Jaja, who was represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Sir Dagogo Adonye Hart, frowned at the situation where unarmed civilians are no longer protected in the country.
Nweke Miriam, a first-year student of law in the institution said the ugly incident commenced last Friday, the 28th of September when gunmen in military uniform entered the school hostel and started shooting at students.
Miss Nweke said many students are still missing up till now, adding that some died on the spot.
She said few who were alive had to immediately call the Rivers State government to come to their rescue, which they immediately responded to and came down to Jos with security operatives to evacuate them.
She used the medium to thank the Rivers State government for coming through to their rescue.
Njoku Honest Kelechi, a final year law student in the same university said: “the experience is not something one should have twice in a lifetime”.
According to him, it is disheartening that a government that is expected to protect lives of the citizens can no longer do so but rather protect the very few whom they deem fit to be protected rather than the entire citizenry.
He commended the Rivers State government for their immediate rescue. He said they were escorted back to Rivers State with heavy security.
Mr Njoku said immediately Rivers State government responded, he was asked to assemble all Rivers indigenes in the university.
He said he contacted them via their WhatsApp group medium but that only 32 students responded.
According to him, up until now, many have not responded.
He said he is still sending messages to them to see if they will respond, adding that if they get any other response, the state government promised to go back to Jos to rescue them.
On his part, the National President of National Union of Rivers State students, comrade Patrick Ogboehi, also lauded the Rivers State government for swinging into action immediately to rescue Rivers indigenes studying in the University of Jos.
He said it is saddening that unknown gunmen would dress in military uniform and go into an institution of learning and open fire on unarmed students, referring to it as pathetic.
He said ” it must be totally condemned that students who have gone to acquire knowledge are being shot at for no reason.
“I am grateful that we were able to get these ones back home to be reunited with their family. I also thank the Rivers State government for being able to act as at the time they were called upon”.
Sir Adonye Hart said the ugly incident is as a result of the bad leadership at the centre in Nigeria. He, therefore, called on Nigerians to be careful when choosing their leaders.
Continuing, he stated ” how can a government value the life of a cow more than human life?
