Northern group accuses Tinubu of abandoning scholarship program, abandoning students abroad
The Arewa Defense League (ADL) has accused the federal government of abandoning Nigerian students on foreign scholarships under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) program. In a statement on Wednesday, ADL President Murtala Abubakar said the Tinubu administration 'casually turned its back on students already in the field, already committed, and already vulnerable.' The group claimed the government abruptly scrapped the BEA program, which had enabled thousands of underprivileged students to study in China, Russia, Morocco, Hungary, and other countries. 'A nation may abandon roads and refineries, but when it abandons its children, especially in foreign lands, it abandons its soul,' Abubakar stated. The ADL condemned President Tinubu's silence on protests demanding the program's return, calling it 'the loudest indictment of all.' This follows May 2025 announcement by Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa that the government would no longer fund foreign scholarships. The group frames the issue as a moral collapse affecting Nigeria's diplomatic relationships and the future of bright students from disadvantaged backgrounds who depend on such opportunities.