The 195 Jigawa State students evacuated from war-torn Sudan, studying medical sciences and relocated to India and Cyprus, have started graduating with flying colors.
Speaking while receiving the returning six out of the ten students studying in India on Tuesday, Saidu Magaji, the Executive Secretary of the Jigawa State Scholarship Board, announced that six out of ten students relocated to India from Sudan due to civil unrest have graduated, with four earning a first-class degree in the field of Nursing Bachelor of Science.
He said that when the war raged in Sudan, the Jigawa government proactively acted and evacuated 195 students from the country.
After all the tedious processes of removing them from Sudan, the government ensured that they returned to Nigeria without any hitches.
“Even in Nigeria, upon their arrival in Abuja, the government decided that they should not be taken to Jigawa on buses because they were still dealing with the trauma of how they escaped from Sudan.
“So, we chartered an aircraft that took them straight to Jigawa Airport, where we also provided them with transport fares to their respective homes.”
The Secretary noted that due to the 12-point Human Agenda of the Umar Namadi government, he directed the Scholarship Board to secure admissions for the students. As a result, 185 of them were admitted to Near East University in Cyprus, and each was recently paid N4.5 million for their residence permits, health insurance, and living allowances.
The Executive Secretary explained that of the ten students taken to Integral University in India, four are still there, with three studying Doctor of Pharmacy Sciences and one studying Civil Engineering. Meanwhile, the six students who graduated and returned to Nigeria include four female students who graduated with first-class degrees in the field of Bachelor of Nursing Sciences, while the remaining two male students graduated in the field of Industrial Chemistry.
“Already, we have approved N4 billion for living allowances, tuition fees, residence permits, and other financial needs. We have also signed a bond with the students to serve in Jigawa for some time, along with the 185 students in Cyprus.”
Aisha Muhammad, who graduated with a first-class degree in Bachelor of Nursing Sciences, expressed happiness with her graduation, saying, “After the trauma of Sudan, we have now completed our studies successfully, and we are ready to serve my state like never before.”
Abdullahi Isa, who graduated with a degree in Industrial Chemistry, said that their studies in India were wonderful because the people there were so accommodating and their studies went smoothly without any attacks or hostility.
Recalling how they suffered while crossing the borders of Sudan, he stated that if not for the timely intervention of the Jigawa State government, they would have thought that their education was over. Today, they are happy that they have successfully graduated, with some of them earning first-class degrees.
