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Arrested and detained EndBadGovernance protesters have filed an application before a federal high court in Abuja seeking to vacate an order allowing the police to detain them for 60 days.
Nigerians staged a nationwide protest against economic hardship from August 1–10.
The protesters demanded a reduction in the cost of governance, a return to the petrol subsidy regime, food security, and fiscal discipline, among others.
The demonstration, however, turned violent in some parts of the country, with looting and vandalism recorded in some states.
Following the protests, the police announced the arrest of perpetrators in some states.
On August 22, Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, granted an ex parte application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1223/2024 brought by the inspector-general of police to detain 49 respondents in the FCT for 60 days pending the conclusion of investigation.
However, the respondents have filed an application seeking to vacate the order against them on the grounds that their fundamental rights were breached.
Amongst several other grounds, the respondents/applicants, through their legal team led by Femi Falana, contended that “the honourable judge acted without jurisdiction when his lordship made an order committing the defendants to correctional centre pursuant to Section 299 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015″.
“Pursuant to Section 293 (1) ACJA 2015, only a magistrate court that has jurisdiction to try an offender that was brought within a reasonable time,” the application reads in part.
“At the time of the hearing of the motion ex-parte, the respondent/applicant was in custody of the applicant/respondent at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and not produced before the court.
“The motion ex-parte was predicated on suppression and misrepresentation of material facts.
“The motion ex-parte constitutes a gross abuse of the process of this honourable court.
“The complainant/respondent motion ex parte did not disclose any fact capable of linking the respondents/applicants to any terrorism activity.”
Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for hearing of the motion by the court.
[TheCable]
Malik Abdulganiyu and Hawal Akande have been reportedly found dead in a river at Egudu Baale community in the Ado-Ota LGA area of Ogun state.
Omolola Odutola, the police spokesperson in the state, confirmed the development on Saturday.
On Wednesday, Abdulganiyu and Akande reportedly left their home on Olaigbe Street in Egudu Baale to report to work at the local Salvation Army, also located within the same community.
Odutola said the next day, the mothers of the deceased reported that their children were yet to come home from work.
He said following a search, the bodies of the kids were found in a river not far from their home.
“On August 8, 2024, at approximately 1:30 a.m., the mothers of Abdulganiyu and Akande, aged 15 and 13, respectively, reported that their children had not returned home from work on Thursday,” Odutola said.
“The corpses were discovered floating in a river not far from their home. Police detectives visited the scene and conducted a thorough examination of the bodies, but found no signs of an attack.
“The bereaved family demanded the release of the corpses, arguing that they wanted to bury them according to Islamic rites.”
Mercy Eke, the reality TV star, has opened up about her experience with the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) surgery.
In a recent interview, Eke said she underwent the BBL in Nigeria in 2018 without thoroughly researching her surgeon.
She explained that the trend at the time influenced her then and she did not fully grasp the potential risks.
Eke said she would take the time to thoroughly investigate the surgeon’s track record if she ever considered undergoing surgery again.
“To be very truthful, it was initially because of the trend. I did my body in 2018,” she said.
“I think, at the time, it was just the trend, maybe peer pressure. Everyone was doing it.
“I had a beautiful, slim body, but my stomach was a little too much.
“I did my body here in Nigeria. I didn’t do any research on the doctor beforehand.
“Maybe I was just ignorant. I didn’t think about the risks.
“But now, if I have to touch my body, I have to see the works of that doctor. How many deaths?
“How many complications? I’m going to ask a lot of questions before anybody can touch my body again.”
Eke rose to fame after winning the fourth season of the BBNaija reality TV show in October 2019.
In 2020, she made her acting debut in the film ‘Fate of Alakada’.
She also featured in the Nollywood blockbuster ‘Shanty Town’.
In 2023, Eke participated in the BBNaija All-Stars season, finishing as the first runner-up
My 54 years old Wife Who Deliver 11 Babies Was Pregnant For Three And A Half Years – Cleric Tells His Story
AFOLABI
When Alhaji Yahaya Imam Nafiu, an Islamic cleric and Missioner of the Ilorin Emirate Development Progressive Union in the Republic of Benin, learned that his third wife had given birth to 11 babies, he was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the news.
The news left him feeling jittery, and the reality of the financial strain and responsibility of caring for eleven newborns almost made him run away.
In an interview with Tunde Oyekola, he recounts his initial fears and how he tried to come to terms with the overwhelming responsibility
Recently, news broke that your wife gave birth to 11 children. How did you feel when you received the news?
My wife, Chognika Latoyossi Alake, who is a native of Ajasse-Cotonou in Benin Republic, gave birth to 11 children in Porto Novo in two tranches. She first delivered six – five boys and one girl – on July 6 and 7, 2024.
On August 14, she gave birth to another five boys. Unfortunately, one of the girls from the first set passed away about one and a half hours after birth, and we later lost another baby. Currently, we have nine surviving children, and they have all been named.
Were these children her first?
No, they are not her firstborn. Latoyossi is my third wife. I had two wives before marrying her. She was previously married and had three children in her first union. She became pregnant nine years after having her last child. This particular pregnancy lasted for about three and a half years.
I left Ilorin in 2008 for Porto Novo in search of greener pastures. I’m 56 years old while my wife, Latoyossi, is 54 years old.
A normal pregnancy is supposed to last nine months. What did you do when there was an unusual delay?
During that period, she visited hospitals, underwent various medical tests and scans, and had three surgeries. The most surprising thing was that each time doctors attempted to operate on her, the incision would close up again. The last doctor, a white man, said he had never encountered anything like it in his long medical career. The doctors also told us that unseen spirits seemed to be interfering whenever they attempted to operate. After exhausting the options at government and private hospitals in the Benin Republic, we turned to traditional birth attendants.
What do you think caused the extended pregnancy?
I’m not certain about what caused it, as it wasn’t her first pregnancy. As I mentioned before, she had three children from her previous marriage. However, I suspect it might have been due to some malevolent forces. We were all deeply concerned when she couldn’t deliver the babies within the expected timeframe.
Were the children born via caesarean section?
No, they were delivered naturally by their mother. They were born at a traditional birth attendant’s home.
Did the doctors confirm there were babies in her womb?
Yes, medical tests confirmed she was pregnant, but the scans didn’t reveal the number of babies. They only indicated that she was carrying babies.
When you were informed that she delivered 11 babies, what was your reaction?
The 11 babies weren’t delivered all at once; they came in two tranches. When I received the call that my wife had delivered six babies, I was terrified because the news was so shocking. Although I had heard of such things happening in other countries, it was unprecedented in Nigeria or the Benin Republic. Initially, I didn’t believe it. I asked about my wife’s condition, and they assured me she was fine. I wanted to speak with her, but they said it wasn’t possible at that moment. At one point, I considered fleeing because I couldn’t fathom how I would feed eleven children in addition to the others I already had. But eventually, I decided to go and see them, believing that Allah, who gave them to us, would also provide for their needs.
What happened next?
About a week after delivering the six babies, my wife began to complain of stomach pain and had difficulty eating. Despite the traditional birth attendant’s advice not to take her elsewhere, we decided to visit a hospital. The doctor there recommended another scan, which revealed that more babies were still in her womb, though the exact number wasn’t clear. We returned to the traditional birth attendant, who admitted that he had known there were more babies but didn’t want to alarm her. He instructed us to return when she showed signs of labour. When she started experiencing labour pains, we took her back, and she delivered another five boys, one of whom later passed away. The last set of babies are two weeks old and are all healthy.
As an Islamic cleric, how do you describe the birth of 11 children by a single woman?
The birth was nothing short of a miracle from Allah; something no human can fully comprehend. It is an inexplicable wonder (Ise Olorun ni, awamaridi si ni ti enikankan ko le mo).
Are twins common in your family?
No, twins are not common in my family. Only one member of my family has given birth to twins and they are two girls. Since then, no member of my family has had multiple births.
What has it been like feeding the babies?
The first five babies were breastfed by their mother for the first few days, but she soon became overwhelmed, and we had to switch to formula. They consume three containers of formula daily.
How are you coping with this situation?
Although we are not wealthy, we are relying on Allah, who blessed us with these babies. We are appealing to both the Federal and Kwara State governments, as well as to philanthropic individuals in society, to assist us in caring for these gifts from God.
What are your plans for the babies?
Strictly following our tradition in Ilorin, when the babies were born, I informed the Magaji of our compound, who is the head of the family, and other family members. Baba Magaji then informed the Emir of Ilorin about the great gift bestowed upon our family. I came to Ilorin on Tuesday this week, and we visited the Emir, HRM Maimataba Alhaji Sulu-Gambari, on Wednesday to celebrate the blessing of the eleven children. The Emir offered special prayers for the children and the entire family and gave us gifts to help take care of them. We have also informed the governor about the children. However, one significant challenge remains – bringing the children and their mother from Benin Republic to Ilorin so that the Emir and our family can see and pray for them. I don’t have the funds to transport them. Another challenge is that I have not yet performed the necessary traditional rites for my wife, which is also costly. Although we have fulfilled the Islamic requirements for marriage, we still need to complete the traditional ceremonies before she can travel with me to Ilorin. Therefore, I am appealing to philanthropists and well-to-do individuals to come to our aid so that the babies can be well cared for and brought to see my family.
***
Source: The PUNCH
One Emmanuel Urhobocha has allegedly taken his life in Ogun State.
The lifeless body of the 35-year-old man was found in his apartment on Alafia Street in Sango-Ota, located in the Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area.
The deceased was said to have committed suicide around 9:00 a.m. on Friday after he started displaying some bizarre behaviour.
The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying one Obabiyi David, the roommate of the deceased, had reported him at the police station after he (Urhobocha) stabbed him.
The command’s spokesperson, Odutola Omolola, disclosed that David, had gone to the Sango-Ota Police Division to report that his flatmate was acting irrationally.
“He (David) stated that Urhobocha was behaving oddly and even mentioned that the deceased had attacked him with a knife at one point. David sustained injuries but managed to escape the assault,” Odutola stated.
A team of policemen from the Sango-Ota division was sent to interrogate Urhobocha regarding the alleged attack on his friend, but upon arrival, they found the room locked from the inside.
After several attempts to force the door open, the police finally gained entry and found the suspect lying lifeless, face down in the apartment.
Odutola said, “He was discovered dead in the apartment, with a container of insecticide found next to his body.
“He was promptly transported to a local hospital for medical attention, but the attending doctor confirmed him dead. His body has been placed in the morgue for an autopsy, and the incident remains under investigation.”
This incident occurred just days after a 32-year-old man, Olúwaṣeun Shorinola, died by suicide in the Kémta area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on August 28, 2024.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has revealed the data showing student loan applicants by state of origin.
President Bola Tinubu in July launched NELFUND.
The revised Student Loan Act 2024 was signed to remove financial barriers and make education more accessible to all Nigerian students, regardless of their economic background.
The loans cover tuition, fees, and maintenance costs. The repayment process starts two years after the beneficiary completes the NYSC program.
The Federal Government recently allocated over N2.5 billion in student loans to over 22,00 students nationwide, with institutions in the Southeast notably absent from the list of beneficiaries.
Students from Kano and Borno States have emerged as the frontrunners in the NELFUND student loan applications.
Kano State recorded 17,122 applications out of 20,814 registered tertiary students.
Borno State followed closely, with 13,798 students applying for the loan out of 16,353 registered students.
These figures were shared on NELFUND’s X account, highlighting the distribution of registered students and subsequent loan applicants by state of origin.
Benue State ranked third, with 11,754 of its 16,127 registered students applying for the student loan.
Oyo State saw 14,086 students register, with 8,990 moving forward with the application process.
In Kaduna State, 13,873 students registered, and 10,380 proceeded to apply.
Katsina State had 13,538 students register, of which 10,952 eventually applied.
Osun State registered 13,368 students, with 8,093 applying for the loan.
Kogi State saw 12,675 students register for the NELFUND student loan, with 8,400 of them proceeding to apply.
In Plateau State, 11,624 students registered, and 9,328 of them went on to submit their loan applications.
Adamawa State had 11,219 students register, of which 8,977 successfully applied for the loan.
Kwara State recorded 11,126 registrations, with 7,645 students applying for the loan.
In Taraba State, 10,699 students registered for the student loan, and 8,668 of them proceeded to apply.
Yobe State had 10,398 students register, with 8,966 going on to apply for the loan.
Ogun State saw 10,387 registrations, with 5,943 students moving forward with the application.
Akwa Ibom State recorded 9,594 registrations, with 6,525 students applying for the loan.
In Bauchi State, 8,358 students registered, and 6,517 applied for the student loan.
Kebbi State had 7,873 students register, with 6,333 proceeding to apply for the loan.
Gombe State recorded 7,594 registrations, with 6,121 students applying for the loan.
Niger State saw 7,487 students register, and 5,804 of them went on to submit their loan applications.
In Jigawa State, 6,937 students registered, with 5,535 successfully applying for the loan.
Ondo State had 6,519 students register, with 3,854 proceeding to apply for the student loan.
Nasarawa State saw 6,192 students register, and 4,789 of them applied for the loan.
Ekiti State recorded 6,065 registrations, with 3,497 students applying for the loan.
In Imo State, 5,458 students registered, with 2,802 going on to submit their loan applications.
Delta State saw 4,943 registrations, with 2,771 students applying for the loan.
Ebonyi State recorded 4,749 registrations, with 2,981 students applying for the loan.
In Cross River State, 4,282 students registered and 2,476 of them proceeded to apply.
Enugu State had 4,133 students register, with 2,247 successfully applying for the loan.
Abia State saw 4,068 registrations, with 2,170 students moving forward with the application.
Lagos State recorded 3,947 registrations, with 2,347 students applying for the loan.
Anambra State had 3,747 students register, with 1,840 proceeding to apply for the student loan.
In Zamfara State, 3,721 students registered, and 2,986 of them successfully applied for the loan.
Edo State saw 3,612 registrations, with 2,149 students applying for the loan.
Rivers State recorded 3,612 registrations, with 2,162 students applying for the loan.
Sokoto State had 3,014 students register, with 2,055 proceeding to apply for the student loan.
Bayelsa State saw 1,977 students register, with 1,267 of them applying for the loan.
In the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 894 students registered for the loan, while 676 proceeded to submit their applications.
Kelechi Ndukwe has made history as the first Nigerian to command a US Navy warship.
Kelechi was promoted to the rank of Commander in the US Navy on Thursday August 29 2024.
Sharing the news on his official X, a US Army Officer, Victor Agunbiade congratulated Ndukwe on his achievement.
Sharing pictures from the promotion ceremony, Ogunbiade wrote; “Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the newest US Navy Captain Kelechi Ndukwe. The first Nigerian to have a command of the US Navy War Ship! Congratulations on your promotion Captain! Well deserved.”
Reacting to the news on X, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, congratulated Ndukwe on his achievement.
“A hearty congratulations to Navy Captain Kelechi R Ndukwe who has been promoted to the rank of Navy Captain from Commander, in the US NAVY.”
Three suspects involved in Automated Teller Machine, ATM, swap in Kaduna state, have been arrested and detained by operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command.
The Command’s Spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the development in a statement in Kaduna on Friday, adding that the police also recovered 54 ATM cards with a Point of Sale machine, POS.
“On August 27, at about 23:00 hours, following a credible intelligence, police operatives nab three suspects involved in ATM Card Swap Fraud, through a well-coordinated operation,” he said.
Hassan said the suspects included, Umar Ya’u of Zoo Road Kano, Abdullahi Bukar of Tudun Wada Kaduna, and Hussaini Sulaiman of Zoo Road, Kano.
According to him, the suspects were known for loitering around ATM machines, where they pretended to assist individuals who appeared unfamiliar with operating the machines.
“In doing so, they would deceitfully swap the victims’ ATM cards, allowing them to carry out unauthorised withdrawals.
“54 ATM cards of different banks and a POS machine were recovered from the suspects, which they confessed to getting from defrauding multiple victims across Kano, Kaduna, and Zaria,” he said.
Hassan further said that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Audu Dabigi assured the public of the command’s continues commitment towards safeguarding the community.
He also urged the general public to be mindful of unsolicited assistance and to immediately report any suspicious behavior at ATM points to the police for prompt action.
Nigerian actress, Lizzy Anjorin, has spoken on allegations of an affair with Toyin Abraham’s husband, Kolawole Ajeyemi.
Controversial blogger, Esther Aboderin, popularly known as Esabod, recently accused Lizzy of engaging in an intimate relationship with Ajeyemi.
Reacting to the allegation in a viral video on Instagram, Lizzy dismissed the rumours, labeling it “evil”.
She further urged the public to disregard the claims.
“Concerning the rumour that is being spread that Toyin and Kolawole’s marriage is facing challenges, I am not interested. Whatever happens is their problem. It does not affect my life. Whoever wants to do evil should continue. Disregard all the information,” she said.
DAILY POST recalls that Lizzy and Toyin had in 2019, involved in a highly publicised feud after Lizzy was allegedly questioned by Saudi Arabia’s security over suspicion of drug trafficking during her Hajj pilgrimage.
Following the incident, Lizzy accused Toyin of leaking the story to the media.
However, Toyin Abraham denied any involvement. The dispute between the actresses led to several controversies at the time.
The Simom Ekpa-led Biafra Government in Exile has written to the Canadian Government in defense of Amaka Sunnberger amid a call for her prosecution over the threat to harm Yoruba and Bini people of Edo State.
Recall that Sunnberger sparked outrage after a now-viral video she posted on her Tiktok threatening harm against the Yoruba and Edo people.
In response to Sunnberger’s comments, the Nigerian government through the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, chaired by Abike Dabiri-Erewa on Thursday petitioned the Mayor of Brampton to persecute Sunnberger over the threat.
Reacting to the development, Ekpa, known as the Prime Minister of BRGIE had vowed to defend Sunnberger.
To make real his vow, Dr Joy Robi, who is known as the Director General of Biafra Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has now addressed a letter to the Mayor of Brampton, Canada.
In a three-page letter to the Canadian Government posted on Ekpa’s official X handle on Friday, he expressed concern over what he called the inaccuracies and potential misunderstandings claimed by NiDCOM over Sunnberger.
The letter claimed several violent remarks by individuals within Nigeria against Biafrans which did elicit calls for prosecution by the government.
“We provide below a counter-argument with evidence of how the Nigerian government that NiDCOM is representing has video violence on killings of indigenous people in Nigeria, which resulted in many people fleeing out of Nigeria to preserve their lives.
“Information reaching the Biafra Government reveals that Mrs. Amaka Patience Sonnberge was traumatized by the attempted kidnap of her child in Canada by two individuals.
“Of note, Biafrans living in Nigeria and abroad are suffering intensely under the incessant life threat against the Igbo race. This mental abuse has been ignored due to fear of being killed.
“NiDCOM’s Chair is from a privileged Nigerian tribe with the positive attention her tribe is enjoying but ignored the intense mental suffering being mated on the Biafra people from the great Igbo race.
“Notably, Mrs. Amaka Patience Sonnberge due to the mental suffering certain tribes in Nigeria has mated on her family in Biafra land and may have angrily misspoken due to her pain, but that is not enough for NiDCOM to be advocating for Mrs Amaka Patience Sonnberge to lose her occupation.
“In conclusion, I firmly believe that the claims made against Mrs Amaka Patience Sonnberge are unfounded and do not reflect the true character and contributions when you examine the painful and mental suffering Biafrans in Nigeria are going through daily.
“I respectfully request that you ignore the NiDCOM claims in light of the evidence provided and allow Mrs. Amaka Patience Sonnberge to continue to contribute positively to your community in Canada.
“The Biafra government will defend Mrs Amaka Patience Sonnberge against any action taken by the NiDCOM”, the letter partly reads.
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The Naira lost N30 and N28.48 at the parallel and official foreign exchange market in the last week amid the Central Bank of Nigeria Retail Dutch Auction System.
This comes as the Naira depreciated to N1645 against the dollar on Friday compared to the N1615 exchange rate recorded last week on Friday, 23 August 2024.
Similarly, FMDQ data which records official foreign market trading showed that the dropped to N1598.56 per dollar this Friday compared to N1570.14 exchanged last week.
The development means that the weakened both foreign exchange markets despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s interventions.
Although the foreign exchange transaction turnover increased to $172.80 million on Friday from $155.52 million recorded on Thursday, the Naira fell to strengthen against the dollar in the last seven days.
The development comes weeks after the Retail Dutch Auction System was reintroduced by CBN amid a dollar demand spike.
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, also known as Shiites, has condemned the alleged forceful removal of Hijab by police officers in Abuja, describing it as a grave religious abuse and blasphemy.
According to a statement by Maryam Sani, on behalf of the Sisters Forum of the Islamic movement, the incident involved Muslim women in detention who were allegedly forced to remove their Hijab, a religious headscarf.
The statement denounced the act as a violation of religious freedom and cultural sensitivity.
“We will publicise this abuse to the public (within and outside the country) and also challenge it in the court of law,” the group threatened.
This comes after a one-minute, twenty-one-second video taken within the premises of the FCT Police Command, which was shared in a WhatsApp group of the police community in the FCT went viral on social media showing how the police forcefully removed the Hijab of Muslim sisters, while in police detention.
Sani claimed the Muslim Sisters were arrested during the 2024 Abuja Arba’een Symbolic Trek.
The statement read:
“Our attention has also been drawn to pictures of people arrested during the 2024 Abuja Abra’een Symbolic Trek paraded by the police on 28 August 2024 to newsmen at SARS Abbatoir. The pictures taken by the newsmen also showed our Muslim sisters without Hijab.
“Hijab is a commandment of Allah, the creator of earth and heaven. Allah (T) says in the Qur’an, ‘O Prophet! Say to your wives, your daughters, and the women of the believers that they should let down upon themselves their jalabib.’ (Qur’an: Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 59).
“Hijab is our religion, culture, and right, and the abuse of Hijab is more painful to us than the shelling of live ammunition on us. We will not take this abuse lightly. Certainly, an abuse to Hijab is not just an abuse to the people arrested but to the Muslims and the religion of Islam.
“Verily, the leadership of the police is fully aware of the sanctity of Hijab to Muslims; they just decided to deliberately abuse our religion. First, we condemn the forceful removal of Muslim sisters’ Hijab and consider it an abuse to Muslims and blasphemy to Islam.”
The organisation added that if it is assumed that the perpetrators are not Muslims, it will not believe that during their education, from home training and childhood upbringing at family level through University education and in-service training, they have never learnt how to respect people’s religion and culture.
Meanwhile, the Islamic movement in another round of protest on Friday urged the police authorities to respect people’s religion and culture.
The nationwide protest took place in various cities across the country such as Abuja, Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Zaria, Yobe, Gombe,Bauchi, Jos, Katsina, Kebbi and Niger among others.
In Abuja, the protest kicked off at Banex Juma’at Mosque immediately after the Friday prayers and ended at the popular Banex junction.
In Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna and Katsina, many people joined the protest saying Hijab does not just belong to the Shiites Women.
No fewer than 1,425 international students who gained admission to universities in the United Kingdom were denied entry at the country’s airports between 2021 and 2023.
A total of 161 Nigerians were affected, as they were removed on arrival at airports across the UK.
According to data exclusively obtained from the UK Home Office through the Freedom of Information Act, India topped the list of affected foreign students with 644, representing 45 per cent of the figure, while Nigeria followed with 11.3 per cent. Ghana is third on the list with 92 (6.46 per cent), while Bangladesh is fourth with 90 (6.32 per cent).
However, the released data, covering October 2021 to October 2023, is limited to students denied entry at the airports. It does not include international students deported by the Home Office for violating the terms of their visas, such as working beyond 20 hours weekly and academic malpractice.
The Home Office did not also specify the reasons for the removal of the foreign students.
But Saturday PUNCH gathered that some of the reasons for such decisions included the inability of students to convince the Border Force officers during checks at the airports, presentation of forged documents, and deficiency in English language usage.
An immigration lawyer based in North London, UK, Dele Olawanle, in a post on X in September 2023, decried the maltreatment of students and called on the UK Government to rein in Border Force officers, whom he said had turned themselves to admission officers.
Olawanle lamented that three students contacted him for help within three hours after facing threats of removal at the airports.
He wrote, “UK border officers have turned themselves into university officials at the point of entry by questioning students entering the UK to start their course on some aspects of the course they are going to start. If they do not answer correctly, they have their visas cancelled, and some are removed from the UK. Sad! I have had three instructions on that in the last 24 hours.
“It is not their job because most of these students were interviewed by the university before being offered a place on the course. Most of these Border Force officers have not even been to university and are not qualified to examine these foreign students on their academic knowledge.
“I can say this as I have had dealings with them for the last 24 years. Their job is to make sure the students obtain entry clearance genuinely. If you are a student coming to start your course, be prepared for immigration officers turning themselves into university examiners.”
A data analyst, Nelly Okechukwu, who claimed he narrowly escaped screening at one of the airports, also shared his experience.
He wrote, “After going through a 16-hour flight, a border officer asked for my transcript, which I presented, and this lady started asking me to tell her about a course I studied in my 200-level in the university. A university I graduated from since 2012.”
Student admissions
A total of 679,970 foreign students were admitted to UK universities for the 2021/2022 academic year, according to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
Nigeria had the highest number of foreign students with 44,195 out of the 68,320 African citizens studying in the UK for the 2021/2022 academic year.
HESA data also shows that the number of students from Nigeria rose to 72,355 in the 2022/2023 academic year, with the explanation that the data relates to students enrolled between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023.
Nigerian students and their dependents in the UK contributed an estimated £1.9bn to the economy of the country in one year, according to an analysis by SBM Intelligence. The data covered the 2021/2022 academic session.
According to the data, international students contributed £41.9bn to the UK economy in the 2021/22 academic year.
The Universities UK International, which is the umbrella body for universities in the country, said it couldn’t comment on the data of student removals.
The organisation, in response to Saturday PUNCH inquiries, however, noted that immigrants on student visas who were removed at the border were far less than those admitted.
“We are not a government agency or sponsor. So, we don’t hold data on this and therefore can’t comment, but we are sharing the points below on background for context:
“Home Office data from 2021-2024 (year ending March) suggests 1,541,837 study visas were granted to main applicants over the period. Assuming the quoted numbers are correct, then those not admitted to the UK would represent less than 0.01% of all those on study visas. We cannot comment on the reasons for refusal or what happens after that – and it will depend on the specifics of the case.”
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission said it did not get any report from students who were removed at UK airports.
A spokesperson for the commission, Abdulrahman Balogun, said, “No student has ever reported being rejected at the port of entry for no just cause.”
The Director of a foreign education consulting firm, Story Across Globe, Mr Emmanuel Gbadega, said a foreign student or any other immigrant might be rejected at the port of entry if the individual couldn’t explain his or her mission in the country.
Gbadega said anybody who looked suspicious could be rejected and returned to their country by the Border Force.
He said, “They have been doing that for many years. You can be rejected by the Border Force when you look suspicious; probably they find out that you are not coming to study. The students could have been rejected as a result of incompetence; they could have failed an interview.”
Gbadega explained that any foreign student who was removed at the port of entry could seek a refund from his university by notifying the institution of their challenge.
Commenting on the matter, an immigration lawyer, Adeola Oyinlade, tasked Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NIDCOM to be concerned on the removal of Nigerian students at foreign airports.
He also enjoined any student who was denied entry to a foreign country to abide by that decision to avoid being banned for 10 years.
Another immigration lawyer, Dr Yemi Opemuti, said the Border Force did not commit any infraction by removing the affected students, adding that the officers reserved the right to approve or disapprove entry into their country.
According to Opemuti, having a visa does not guarantee entry into a country, adding that customs or immigration officers have the power to invalidate a visa at the port of entry.
“When you are issued a visa from your country of origin, it’s conditional and subject to the approval of customs or immigration agents in your country of destination. A visa can be cancelled based on the response of the migrant to an interview at the entry point.
“They have the right to deny you entry or deport you if you cannot give them convincing answers to their queries,” he added.
The UK Home Affairs and British High Commission in Nigeria did not respond to inquiries made via email sent by our correspondent on August 14.
There has been a sharp decline in the number of Nigerians going to the UK to study as a result of the ban on dependents of student visa, a policy that came into effect in January 2024.
Also, the devaluation of the naira, which resulted in an increased exchange rate, weakened the financial strength of many Nigerians to sponsor themselves or their children to the UK for study.
The British Government has awarded 82 Nigerians the prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships to study a wide range of master’s degrees and PhD programmes in the UK in 2024.
This year, 32 scholars received the Chevening scholarship, and 50 scholars have been awarded the Commonwealth scholarship so far.
A pre-departure ceremony was held in Abuja yesterday for scholars based in Abuja and environs, while a similar ceremony will hold in Lagos next week and will be hosted by the Deputy Head of Mission, Abby Bernard, for scholars in Lagos and nearby cities.
At the Abuja pre-departure reception yesterday, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs Gill Lever, congratulated beneficiaries who succeeded in securing a scholarship through the highly competitive application and interview process.
Speaking at the ceremony, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs Gill Lever, said: “The UK continues to support the educational development of Nigerians and remain transparent and inclusive in the selection process across the board.
“I challenge each of you to aim for excellence in your studies, to be great ambassadors for Nigeria in the UK, and to take advantage of every opportunity during your scholarship—through growing your knowledge, enriching cultural exchange, and confident networking—and then bringing those experiences back to Nigeria and doing great things for your country while creating a positive change in this country and the world.”
Speaking at the reception, Director Operations, British Council Nigeria, Idowu Akintade, said: “We hope the skills and knowledge you gain from this scholarship opportunity prepare you to make a positive impact on the development priorities of Nigeria.
“I encourage you all to build a strong network and continue to be great ambassadors of the prestigious Commonwealth and Chevening Scholarships.”