Financial Crisis: UK University Provides Flight Aid for Nigerian Students

• Teesside University has pledged to cover flight tickets for Nigerian students previously reported to the Home Office, helping them return to Nigeria
• This initiative follows the severe financial challenges faced by these students due to a currency crisis
• Despite the university's efforts, some students are lodging legal appeals and expressing distrust in the university's intentions

Teesside University has committed to providing financial assistance for flight tickets to Nigerian students it had previously reported to the Home Office, facilitating their return to Nigeria.

This decision follows the challenges faced by Nigerian students who were expelled from their courses due to a currency crisis, which hindered their ability to pay tuition fees.

Students at the Middlesbrough-based university faced expulsion and orders to leave the UK after their savings were depleted during Nigeria's most severe economic downturn in generations, as reported by Leadership.

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The situation worsened when Teesside University modified its payment plan from seven instalments to three, exacerbating the students' financial difficulties.

As reported by Punch, amid protests and intervention from the Nigerian government, the university informed the BBC that it has re-enrolled some affected students and created a travel fund for those needing to return home.

Despite this, one student criticized the offer, stating:

"The wide-rippling effects of this are unmanageable and piling up."

In May, the university withdrew sponsorship for several students and reported them to the Home Office after they fell into tuition fee arrears, breaching visa sponsorship requirements.

This, however, resulted in Home Office letters ordering the students to leave the UK.

A Teesside University spokesperson confirmed that some affected students could now resume their studies.

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The spokesperson said:

"We are working with a small group who need to return to their home country and are opening an international relief fund to offer additional financial support for these unexpected travel costs."

Students were given the option to complete their studies in Nigeria or return to the UK later to resume them.

However, some students are now lodging legal appeals against the university’s actions.

One student, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed distrust in the university’s offer and said:

"I was asked to return home, pay the remaining balance, and apply to return later, but I don’t trust them now. I feel this is a way to escape responsibility and they may not let me come back."

"If they did, it would cost me thousands for flights, visa fees, and NHS fees again. I’ve already spent so much coming here, and now they want me to go back without any certification of my achievements.

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"The whole aim of coming here was to study; we haven’t committed any crime. There’s been no apology for the stress and trauma the university has put me through."

UK begins detention of Nigerians, other migrants

The United Kindom has commenced the detaining of illegal migrants in preparation for deportation to Rwanda in line with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s new immigration policy.

Reports say the UK parliament in April approved a law allowing the sending of asylum seekers without permission in the UK to Rwanda.

Sunak is expected to call an election later this year, with illegal migration expected to be the focal point. The Prime Minister wants the first asylum seekers to be sent to Rwanda by July 2024.

Source: Legit.ng