The Zamfara State government has expressed concern over the plight of 93 students stranded at Cyprus International University due to improper documentation.
The government, which has blamed the crisis on the previous administration of Bello Matawalle, now Minister of State for Defence, revealed that the students’ tuition fees, accommodation, and feeding allowances were not paid to the university, leaving them in difficult and distressing conditions.
Zamfara State’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Wadatau Madawaki, speaking at a press conference in Abuja, explained that there was no documentary evidence, such as a Memorandum of Understanding, between the university and the previous administration. As a result, the students were left to rely solely on the mercy of the university in Cyprus.
However, Madawaki confirmed that the current government has made partial payments toward the students’ tuition fees and is in the process of reconciling accounts, including outstanding accommodation fees for the past three to six months.
“The present administration, under the leadership of His Excellency Dauda Lawal, has been made aware of the challenges faced by the Zamfara State students sponsored by the previous administration of former Governor Bello Muhammed Matawalle, who sent them to study at Cyprus International University,” Madawaki said.
He further stated, “In the spirit of fairness, it is important that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, along with the Zamfara State Scholarship Board, present their side of the story.”
Madawaki emphasized that the purpose of the press conference was to clarify the situation and address public misconceptions, especially among the parents of the students. For clarity, he noted that in 2020, former Governor Matawalle sponsored 93 Zamfara indigenes to study various courses at Cyprus International University.
“From the outset, the process was marred by dishonesty and selfishness, with no documentary evidence to show a formal Memorandum of Understanding between the University and the previous administration that sponsored the students.
Records available to the current administration, including those from the Ministry of Education, the Scholarship Board, and the university, indicate that a consultant was hired to facilitate the arrangements. This consultant negotiated with the university, processed the students’ admissions and travel documents, and handed the students over to the university. The deal was structured as a “full package,” which meant that the students’ accommodation and feeding were to be managed by the university. However, regardless of whether the students were provided meals, the university would still charge for them—an unfair arrangement that contributed to the students’ hardships.
Starting in 2022, the previous administration under Governor Bello Matawalle ceased to fulfill its financial obligations, failing to pay tuition fees, accommodation, or feeding allowances. This left the students in difficult conditions, accumulating significant debt, which remained unresolved until the administration’s term ended on May 29, 2023.
The lack of a binding, legal agreement between the previous administration and the university put the students in an untenable situation. Without any formal documents outlining the responsibilities of each party, the students were essentially left at the mercy of the university. This was the result of a poorly structured arrangement exploited by unpatriotic individuals for personal gain. As a consequence, five out of the 93 students eventually left the university, leaving 88 students behind.
When the current administration, led by Governor Dauda Lawal, took office, the situation was brought to their attention. The governor promptly directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to engage with the university and determine the extent of the debt owed by the state. The SSG arranged a Zoom meeting with the university authorities, where it became clear how deeply the situation had deteriorated. The university presented an inflated debt profile, including tuition fees that were still being charged even though the students had been denied access to lectures for nearly a year.
The university also continued charging for feeding allowances despite the fact that the students had not received meals for almost a year. Moreover, they included the fees for the five students who had already left the university. The current administration rejected these charges, recognizing that they were an attempt to unfairly burden the government.
In response to these revelations, the present administration, under Governor Dauda Lawal, took immediate action to address and resolve the situation. The Commissioner emphasized that the administration was committed to resolving the issues and demonstrating its sincerity in helping the affected students.”
