Katsina Abduction: Benue Gov Orders Closure Of All Boarding Schools

Following the abduction of students at Government Science
Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, Gov. Samuel Ortom has
ordered the closure of all boarding schools in Benue State.

Ortom, who announced the decision on Thursday when he visited
the Maximum Security Custodian Centre (MSCC) in Makurdi, condemned
the abduction of students in Katsina State.

He said he had directed the Commissioner for Education to
complete necessary steps to close all boarding schools in Benue as
a preventive measure against abduction of students.

The governor said if hundreds of students could be abducted in
Katsina, the home state of the president, no place was safe
again.

Ortom expressed regrets at the abduction of students and
on-going killings across the country and called on the President
Muhammadu Buhari and security chiefs to adopt new methods of
addressing insecurity.

He also directed the immediate completion of the four block cell
building the Benue government was constructing at the MSCC, Makurdi
to decongest the existing cells.

The governor also directed the state’s Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice, Michael Gusa, who doubles as Chairman
Prerogative of Mercy to compile a list of deserving inmates for
possible pardon.

Ortom equally urged the Chief Judge of the State, Justice
Aondover Kaka’an, to identify those who were unjustly incarcerated
and those who could not afford to pay their fines for necessary
action.

He disclosed that following the directives of the Federal
Government, a total of 48 inmates were released during the COVID-19
pandemic lockdown.

The governor urged all citizens in the state to always wear
facemasks and obey the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control safety
protocols on COVID-19, adding that the second wave of the pandemic
was in the country.

Ortom stated that he had supported inmates through payment of
fines even before he became governor, adding that those in various
cells across the country could become good leaders if given the
opportunity.

He also inspected the level of encroachment on the Centre’s land
and addressed the inmates in the facility.

The governor said his administration would liaise with the
community to end further encroachment on the land and directed that
no new building should be erected there.

Speaking earlier, the Controller, Nigeria Correctional Service
(NCS), Benue, Mrs, Amaka Nwonavi, commended the governor for his
continuous support to the service. (NAN)

Following the abduction of students at Government Science
Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, Gov. Samuel Ortom has
ordered the closure of all boarding schools in Benue State.

Ortom, who announced the decision on Thursday when he visited
the Maximum Security Custodian Centre (MSCC) in Makurdi, condemned
the abduction of students in Katsina State.

He said he had directed the Commissioner for Education to
complete necessary steps to close all boarding schools in Benue as
a preventive measure against abduction of students.

The governor said if hundreds of students could be abducted in
Katsina, the home state of the president, no place was safe
again.

Ortom expressed regrets at the abduction of students and
on-going killings across the country and called on the President
Muhammadu Buhari and security chiefs to adopt new methods of
addressing insecurity.

He also directed the immediate completion of the four block cell
building the Benue government was constructing at the MSCC, Makurdi
to decongest the existing cells.

The governor also directed the state’s Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice, Michael Gusa, who doubles as Chairman
Prerogative of Mercy to compile a list of deserving inmates for
possible pardon.

Ortom equally urged the Chief Judge of the State, Justice
Aondover Kaka’an, to identify those who were unjustly incarcerated
and those who could not afford to pay their fines for necessary
action.

He disclosed that following the directives of the Federal
Government, a total of 48 inmates were released during the COVID-19
pandemic lockdown.

The governor urged all citizens in the state to always wear
facemasks and obey the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control safety
protocols on COVID-19, adding that the second wave of the pandemic
was in the country.

Ortom stated that he had supported inmates through payment of
fines even before he became governor, adding that those in various
cells across the country could become good leaders if given the
opportunity.

He also inspected the level of encroachment on the Centre’s land
and addressed the inmates in the facility.

The governor said his administration would liaise with the
community to end further encroachment on the land and directed that
no new building should be erected there.

Speaking earlier, the Controller, Nigeria Correctional Service
(NCS), Benue, Mrs, Amaka Nwonavi, commended the governor for his
continuous support to the service. (NAN)