Atiku alleges Tinubu administration abandoned 1,600 Nigerian students abroad

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of abandoning Nigerian students studying overseas under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA), warning that about 1,600 students have been left stranded without financial support.

In a statement on Monday, Atiku said the BEA scholarship scheme—established in 1993 and revitalised in 1999—was quietly discontinued, leaving students midway through their studies without stipends or allowances.

The programme, designed to foster diplomatic and educational ties between Nigeria and partner countries, has now been described by Atiku as a “broken bridge.”

“What was initially described as a temporary five-year suspension soon metamorphosed into outright abandonment,” Atiku said, adding that outstanding stipends now run into thousands of dollars per student.

He detailed that between September and December 2023, students received no payments, before their allowances were slashed by 56 per cent in 2024—from $500 to $220 per month—and later stopped entirely. No payments were made throughout 2025.

“The cruelty of the moment was sharpened by timing and tone. Hunger, rent arrears, and shame have become the daily companions of the beneficiary students,” Atiku said, citing the death of one student in Morocco in November 2025 as a tragic consequence of the policy.

Atiku also criticised remarks attributed to the Education Minister, who allegedly suggested that students “fed up” could be financed to return home, calling the comment dismissive of years of study and sacrifice.

“The pact lies broken. Nigerian scholars scattered across foreign campuses are waiting not only for their stipends, but for reassurance that their country has not forgotten them,” he added.

The former vice president urged the federal government to resume payments and provide urgent support to ensure that the affected students can complete their studies without further hardship.

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