FG Withdraws Sponsorship of 6 Niger Delta Students In Russia University
The Federal Government has withdrawn sponsorship of six Niger Delta students in the Peoples Friendship University in Russia.
This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja from the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and signed by Daniel Alabrah, the Head of Media and Communication in the office.
The statement said the withdrawal followed the student-delegates’ involvement in an attack on the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow on September 30.
According to the statement, six of the 24 student-delegates studying in the university under a special scholarship scheme for Niger Delta youths were found to be behind the act.
It quoted Mr. Kuku as saying that the incident at the Mission resulted in the arrest of 16 student-delegates by the Russian police.
“Six of the students breached the Code of Conduct they all signed before their departure from Nigeria and this amounts to gross misconduct that the Nigerian government cannot tolerate.
“Students on the office’s sponsorship cannot go on rampage on flimsy excuses in a foreign country and damage the image and reputation of Nigeria.”
The statement said records showed that the students were not being owed their In-Training Allowance (ITA) for six months as they alleged.
“In fact, the only unremitted allowance was for the month of September, which had been approved and was being processed by the Central Bank of Nigeria at the time they attacked the Mission,” it said.
The statement said communication was made with the students by Mr. Kuku’s office on September 27 about the processing of their ITA for the months of September and October, and the need for them to be patient while it was being handled by the CBN.
“We were therefore shocked when information got to us that the delegates had invaded the Embassy, destroyed property and attacked Mission officials over unpaid allowances. This is absolutely unacceptable,” it quoted Mr. Kuku as saying; adding that the school authorities would be communicated on the development.
The statement also dismissed speculations among former agitators in the Niger Delta that they would soon be paid the sum of N2 million each by the Amnesty Office.
“There is no such plan to pay any of them such amount,” it said, adding that the rumour had caused serious tension in some of the Niger Delta states. (NAN)
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