Parents urge Zamfara govt to pay ₦1bn debt for 88 stranded students in Cyprus

Parents of 88 Zamfara State students stranded in Cyprus have appealed to the state government for urgent assistance to settle outstanding debts owed to institutions in the country.

In a statement issued in Gusau on Saturday, Chairman of the Cyprus Students’ Parents Association, Ibrahim Tudu, said the students have been facing severe hardship, with expired residence permits, unpaid tuition fees, and lapsed accommodation.

“We are still appealing to Governor Dauda Lawal to settle the debts so our children can continue their studies at various levels and in different disciplines,” Tudu said.

He explained that misinformation had been circulating about the students’ situation, stressing that the actual debt amounts to over ₦1 billion.

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“All the tuition fees, accommodation, residence permits, and feeding allowances have not been paid.

“We are appealing again to His Excellency to respond positively and clear these debts,” he added.

However, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Malam Mustafa Jafaru-Kaura, recently stated that the government had already paid ₦290 million for the students’ upkeep.

He also claimed that flight tickets were provided for them to return to Nigeria, but they refused to come back.