Plateau State Police Command has ordered a 24-hour surveillance to forestall security threats across the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina gave the order hours after the management of the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (PSUBEB) announced the closure of primary and secondary schools in the state.
In a statement on Saturday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Alabo Alfred, the commissioner assured residents of safety.
It said the Police Commissioner gave the directive for 24-hour surveillance to calm tensions and ensure that everywhere is free from security threats.
The statement explained that the temporary closure of schools is a precautionary measure aimed at ensuring the security of educational institutions, assuring that the police take the security of students, staff, and communities as a top priority.
It further noted that the police are working closely with the Plateau State Government and relevant stakeholders to mitigate any potential threats and provide a secure environment for children to learn and grow without apprehension.
Similarly, following increasing cases of abduction of students, the Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has directed all public and private schools to deboard their students with immediate effect.
The directive is contained in a letter issued by the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Augustina Godwin, and addressed to all principals and proprietors of public and private schools in the state.
Dr Godwin explained that the state government has observed that the boarding students, either in public or private secondary schools, are the target of the bandits, citing reference to the recent abduction of students in Kebbi and Niger States.
Meanwhile, Imams of Friday Mosques in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, have condemned the abduction of students in Kebbi and Niger states as well as kidnapping of innocent people in some parts of the country by terrorists.
The Imams, in separate sermons during Friday prayers, expressed concern over rising insecurity in the North and called on the government to take urgent steps to bring an end to the trend.