Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko addressing Youth Corps member of the State origin evacuated from the troubled Bauchi State while welcoming the over 200 Youth Corps members at the Government House on Monday (yesterday).
Receiving them at the Government House, the state Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko urged them not to allow the incident to douse their sense of patriotism but remain committed to fostering national unity and development.
According to him, “we thank God and I congratulate you on being able to get home safely. I also thank God that you were not victims, I have to also encourage you not in any way allow this to dampen your sense of patriotism in this great nation.
“Every country goes through her own difficult times, but I still encourage you to still appreciate the fact that Nigeria is a wonderful country, a great nation. Our manifest destiny is that Nigeria will be a leader of nations.”
The governor equally applauded the president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan for the mature manner in which he had been handling the crisis.
“No matter how insurmountable the situation had been in the past, Nigeria had always come out more united and strong and I believe this will not be an exception,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the corps members, Mr. Fisayo Ogunmola commended the State government for its prompt response to the situation, a development which he noted had further reinforced their confidence in the government’s concern for the welfare of its citizens.
His words: “We want to appreciate the government’s quick response to our plight and the demonstration of its caring posture which had saved our future as the country’s leaders.”
The state government, according to Ogunmola, in addition to other packages, provided logistic support for their movement to their various destinations.
He equally lauded Mimiko for ordering a comprehensive treatment of one of the evacuated youths, Miss Bolanle Elebiju who was injured in the fracas as well as another victim who is currently still receiving treatment in the North pending when he would be strong enough to be moved home.
NEWS FROM LAGOS
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About 270 evacuated National Youth Service Corps members serving in Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi States who are residents and indigenes of Lagos State have expressed their appreciation to the State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for his timely response to their distress call and rescue from the trouble spots.Eighty-four of the Corps members were evacuated on Sunday from Kano and Jigawa States, while another two batches of 138 and 48 Corps members arrived in Lagos on Monday by morning and evening flights respectively from Bauchi State.
The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Femi Oke Osanyintolu (2nd right), Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello (right), Mr, Nunayon Monday Jimoh (2nd left), and Mr. Sheriff Adetunji Kumapai (left) during a press conference on the evacuation of NYSC members from some northern states following the crises that erupted after the presidential election last week which held at the Bagauda Kaitho Press Centre Alausa ,Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday April 25, 2011.
The earlier batch of Corps members who spoke at a Press Conference held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa through their spokesperson, Mr Jimoh Nunayon who served in Dala Local Government in Kano, said the timely intervention of Governor Fashola saved them from a looming danger.
While painting a picture of how they all had a close shave with death on the Monday that preceded the Presidential elections, when they were attacked by miscreants who were protesting the Presidential election results, Nunayon said it was providence that saved them from being attacked by the young men who had them in mind.“I just came out from my lodge that Monday morning around 9am to go out, a street before me, I just saw some gang of guys coming, we call them Almajiris, with cutlasses, sticks, they were approaching and shouting as they came, all what I could get from what they were saying because they were speaking Hausa is “Sai Baba, Sai Baba, Sai Baba” they were just coming towards me”“We were asking what was happening, they now said there was riot because of the Presidential elections. That the target of the rioters were the NYSC members because they were the ones that allegedly rigged the elections on behalf of the president, so in the lodge, we gathered all the corps members, there were about 25 of us in that lodge,“They gathered us in a room and we were locked inside.
They must not know that we were inside that room, that if they knew, they could burn all of us inside. Before we knew it, they moved down to the secretariat that was not far away from my lodge and the guys set fire on it immediately, from there, the INEC lodge in Dawa secretariat is just directly opposite the secretariat, they went to the INEC lodge, they broke down everything”, he explained.
He said when all hope seemed lost and the Corps members could not rely solely on the assurance given by the NYSC director that they will be protected, a text message was sent to the Governor of Lagos State who responded swiftly to their SOS.While explaining how the evacuation was executed, the General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu said immediately the agency received distress calls from Corps members serving in Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi states, the permission of the Governor was sought to activate the emergency response plan.
He added that immediately the Governor gave his go ahead, the emergency response plan was activated with LASEMA fine-tuning logistics method to move swiftly, promptly and effectively.Dr Osanyintolu said the evacuation process is on-going as men of LASEMA are on ground strategically in Jigawa, Gombe and Bauchi States while another batch of about 100 corps members are expected in Lagos today.
On whether the National headquarters of NYSC was aware of the evacuation, Dr Osanyintolu said the Lagos State Co-ordinator of the NYSC was informed and is aware of the action of the State Government.Responding to another question on whether the Corps members will still be able to return to the place of their primary assignment, the LASEMA boss said a decision will be taken later based on development in the affected cities.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello said the State Government is monitoring events closely in all the affected states as the evacuation process is still on-going to ensure that the Corps members are not exposed to undue danger.
Some of the Corps members who attended the briefing were Mr Charles Raphael who was serving with the Aminu Kano Teaching hospital, Kano, Miss Obele Tomisin Sandra who was serving with Queen Amina Group of Schools, Gwammaja, Kano, Mr Oladega Idris Olanrewaju who is having his primary assignment at Fagge Local Government, Kano, Miss Afeire Simiat and Mr Kumapai Sheriff both of whom where serving at Kano State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport in Kano respectively among several others who came out to openly express their gratitude to Governor Fashola for responding promptly to their distress call.Some of the corps members in a Short Message Service (SMS), they sent to Governor Fashola said : “Your Excellency Sir, Thanks for the great things You have done for us.
We, Kano State Corps members are very grateful for what you did for us yesterday. You should be prepared for the gift of God and be ready always for new ones. Because God is ready to give you than anyone has ever received from you. May He who knows your want grant you your desire.”Another SMS stated: “Daddy, what will I say than to say Thank You, because when I think there is no hope for me, I pray God will surprise you and reward you bountifully in Jesus Name.
Your Excellency, words are not enough to express sound appreciation towards your caring heart, saving over 84 of us from Kano to Lagos. Thank You Sir, uncommon Governor.
In the picture below:
The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Femi Oke Osanyintolu (2nd right), Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello (right), Mr, Nunayon Monday Jimoh (2nd left), and Mr. Sheriff Adetunji Kumapai (left) during a press conference on the evacuation of NYSC members from some northern states following the crises that erupted after the presidential election last week which held at the Bagauda Kaitho Press Centre Alausa ,Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday April 25, 2011.
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