Hussaini Kafi in Kano
Tears of relief and joy flowed in Kano as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf fully settled the outstanding tuition and accommodation fees of 84 Kano students abandoned in Northern Cyprus.
These students, initially sent abroad under former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s foreign scholarship scheme, were left stranded after the succeeding Ganduje administration halted funding.
The affected students, many of whom studied medicine, engineering, and health sciences at Near East University in Cyprus, faced years of hardship. Some were evicted from their accommodations, denied classroom access, and lived under constant fear of legal action from the university over unpaid debts.
The humanitarian intervention, announced in a press statement by Governor Yusuf’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, revealed that the state government paid a total of N2.24 billion to clear all outstanding fees and secure the students’ certificates—ending over five years of uncertainty and trauma.
The development has been widely praised by parents, human rights groups, and diaspora communities who had long criticized the neglect and politicization of the students’ welfare.
“This bold action by the governor has restored dignity to the state and given these students a second chance at life,” Bature said.
Of the 84 beneficiaries, 28 are medical doctors while others specialized in nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, computer science, and biomedical engineering.
In a further show of commitment, Governor Yusuf has directed that all returning graduates be offered automatic employment into the Kano State civil service.
With this, the students can now return home not as victims, but as professionals ready to contribute meaningfully to society—thanks to a leader who chose compassion over politics.
