Abakaliki – A task force set up by the Ebonyi Government on Thursday arrested 25 students in Abakaliki for loitering and hawking during school hours.
The Chairman of the task force, Mr Boniface Nwaofia, announced the arrest at a news conference.
According to him, the students were arrested between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. during routine monitoring exercise in different parts of Abakaliki.
“The team arrested 25 students in different parts of the Abakaliki during its routine monitoring and the affected students are from different schools.
“The action is in line with the decision of the state government to rid the state off all forms of indiscipline by school children and to encourage hard work among students.
“The students have been taken to the state Juvenile Remand Home,’’ Nwaofia said.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He explained that the task force was determined to stamp out illegal movements by pupils and students during school hours.
The chairman said that parents and guardians of those arrested would be made to pay fine to secure the release of their children and wards.
He said that the state government was committed to free and compulsory Universal Basic Education and urged parents and guardians to reciprocate the gesture.
“So much is being spent on the provision of free and compulsory basic education. We want to enjoin parents and guardians to explore the opportunity to give their children and wards quality education.
“Education is key and foundation of every other achievements,’’ he said, adding the task force would not relent in executing its mandate until the students imbibed attitudinal change. (NAN)