Education
Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Over 4000 Nigerian students stranded

Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Over 4000 Nigerian students stranded
Nigerian students in Ukraine say they are confused and feel abandoned by their country amidst the escalating war between Russia and Ukraine. There are over 4,000 Nigerian students studying in Ukraine.
Newsmen reported how Russian forces attacked major Ukrainian cities Thursday morning in what President Vladimir Putin described as a “special military operation.”
Russia says it is targeting military installations in Ukraine but there are fears many civilians have been killed in airstrikes.
Amidst the confusion in Ukraine, Nigerians studying in the Eastern Ukrainian country say they feel let down.
A Nigerian student at Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine, Anjola Philips, told newsmen, on Wednesday, that although the Nigerian embassy was ‘responsive’, students had no information on what to do should a full-blown war ensue.
“We do not know what is happening, we see other nations organising flights for their people. I think it will be good to know if we have a place of convergence, we have no idea and people are asking if they should start returning home.
“The embassy is responsive anytime we reach out to them but it is the same response every time, which leaves me wondering if there are no plans for the worst-case scenario,” Mr Philips, the president of the Nigerian students union in Lviv, said.
He noted that the situation on the ground is one of great uncertainty. “No one knows what is our fate as Nigerian students here. We just get things online and we try to feel the pulse of the school administration and the locals. Lviv is pretty safe, everybody is going about their business…”
“Some days ago, the school sent out information that students could go back to their houses with the exception of students who had professional examinations. We are still trying to get further clarification from the school on why this group is exempted.
“The issue is we do not have any direction from the Nigerian embassy, I reached out to them and was told to keep checking the website for information. They said they will update us with more information if they receive any. The last update on their website was on January 26, asking us to call the embassy in case of emergency,” he said.
Newsmen reported how the Nigerian embassy in Ukraine Thursday released a statement saying Nigerians in Ukraine should essentially defend themselves.
“The embassy urges Nigerian nationals resident in Ukraine to remain calm but be very vigilant and be responsible for their personal security and safety,” the Nigerian Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine said in a statement shared on Twitter by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).
Felix Ogunlade, a recent graduate of Ternopil National Medical University who lives in Kyiv awaiting his medical licence examination, told this newspaper that between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Thursday morning, he heard three explosions go off.
“When I heard the first explosion, I thought I was hallucinating due to the panic and then there were multiple explosions, it sounded like fireworks. I was not sure until my housemates confirmed they heard the same thing.”
Mr Ogunlade noted that as residents were scampering out of their apartments in fear, he tried to find his way out to Lviv or anywhere in the western part of Ukraine which is still safe but there was no means of transportation out of the city.
“There was no Uber or train available this morning when we first checked. But we found a train for tomorrow that had 300 seats when we checked but before we could mobilise other Nigerians and return to the book, it was filled up. This was about 20 to 30-minute interval,” he said.
He said, “some affirmative message or communication (from the Nigerian embassy) would help his confidence at the moment.”
Mr Ogunlade spoke minutes before the statement by the Nigerian embassy.
In Ternopil, a six hours drive from Kyiv (Ukraine’s capital), Jessica Orakpo, president of Nigerian students in Ternopil National Medical University said the embassy “has basically said we are on our own.”
Speaking to newsmen Thursday morning, Ms Orakpo said “we received a letter a few minutes ago asking us to remain calm and before today when the threats started, I called the ambassador and he said he could not ask us to go home but people who wanted to could but he would not be quoted as asking Nigerians to go home.”
According to Ms Orakpo, a lot of Nigerians are now stuck in Ternopil because earlier on when some foreign students were appealing for online learning given the rising tension, the school said it could only do that if the foreign embassies wrote them (school) asking for such for their citizens.
“We reached out to our embassy to put pressure on schools but our embassy said they could not do anything saying they could not help our school make that decision. Now the case has become worse, we cannot travel, most airlines have cancelled flights, the embassy is not saying anything. We are literally fending for ourselves.”
She noted the ambassador said he could only provide relief funds but could not intervene in the school’s decision making.
“India brought their letter but Ghana and Nigeria’s letters were not issued and that was when I called and they said they could not infringe on the decision-making process of our school, that it has never been done.
“And if our school wants that kind of letter from them, our school should write to them. It became a game of diplomacy, nobody wants to take responsibility for asking Nigerians to go home.”
Although Ternopil is relatively safe, the panic in the air is palpable as schools have been shut, residents are panic buying and flights cancelled, she said.
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science in 2020, of the 76548 international students in Ukraine, 4,227 are Nigerians, the fifth-highest international student population.
As world leaders condemned and issued sanctions on Russia, Nigeria has not stated its position and has remained quiet in offering any form of clear advisory to its citizens. The most it had done before the Thursday statement was the January statement asking Nigerians living in Ukraine to take their safety seriously and avoid travels to identified hot spots in Eastern Ukraine.
Newsmen visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja on Wednesday but got no response on what or if there is a plan for Nigerians living in Ukraine.
The ministry was as calm as it could be with different events happening and staffers going about their activities as though the world was at its most peaceful state.
On the same day, newsmen contacted the ministry’s spokesperson, Francisca Omoyuli, she said she could not respond immediately as she was at a two-day event in Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
An official of the ministry who spoke to newsmen in confidence said students who wanted to be evacuated would need to notify the embassy of their intentions to return home adding that the students should also be able to prove the security situation in their location was dire and deserving evacuation.
She added that as of Wednesday, the Nigerian embassy in Kyiv had yet to notify the ministry of any alarming situation or need to evacuate Nigerians.
Residents of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv are trooping out of the capital, moving west in search of safer havens.
India is evacuating its students from Ukraine while U.S., Canada and Australia have evacuated most of their citizens from Ukraine.
Education
DIGITAL RIGHTS: EU, ASF FRANCE SUPPORT FIGHT AGAINST CYBERBULLING IN NIGERIA

DIGITAL RIGHTS: EU, ASF FRANCE SUPPORT FIGHT AGAINST CYBERBULLING IN NIGERIA
By: Michael Mike
Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) France with the support from the European Union (EU) in conjunction with the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), through it e- RIGHTS Protect has called for more strength to fight against cyberbulling and digital rights violation in Nigeria.
This was made known at the grand finale of the national inter-school digital rights competition organized by ASF under it E-RIGHTS platform last Tuesday in Abuja.
After a thorough engagement by various schools across the country, four schools from different States and zone were qualified to the final, namely Kano State, Lagos, Imo and FCT.

In the keenly contested competition, the Sonmori Senior Comprehensive High School, Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos State emerged as the winner, followed by FCT, Imo and Kano respectfully. The winner takes home the sum of one million Naira with support also from the eRights project to empower what they are doing in terms of digital literacy.
ASF France, Nigeria County Director, Angela Uwandu Uzoma, explained that, the competitions is more than celebration of talents, but celebration of courage, consciousness and commitment. She said, the occasion is not just to shaping conversation of the students, but to shaping their future.
She further said “The eRights project aims at promoting digital rights, not just for the adults, but also for the children, ensuring that the children are not left behind in this conversation. So children are themselves today participating in putting out empowering videos, messaging to discourage cyberbullying, to say no to cyberbullying because of the attendant effects and the harms that it can cause”

“The Cybercrimes Act, which was recently revised, amended particularly with Section 24, which was amended in 2024, to ensure that the government addresses some of these issues
“The government needs to do more. And we’re seeing that this Act, which ordinarily should protect citizens, to empower them to create a safe space for engagement, ensure that people are able to express themselves freely as guaranteed by the Constitution, including children” she added.
Also, the EU representative at the event, Program Manager, CSO, Human Rights and Youth, Mrs. Wynyfred Achu-Egbuson, believed that, the competition will bring to the understanding of Yong people that they have a responsibility towards not only protecting their rights but also protect the rights of other people who use the digital space.
She further said, the issues surrounding digital rights in Nigeria and other developed countries of the West is dynamic. Therefore, the issues of legislations and regulation towards digital rights is developing, the situation is dynamic and ever changing
DIGITAL RIGHTS: EU, ASF FRANCE SUPPORT FIGHT AGAINST CYBERBULLING IN NIGERIA
Education
Breaking News: Less Than 48 Hours After ₦100 Million Endowment, Summit University Secures Full ICAN Accreditation for Accounting Programme

Breaking News: Less Than 48 Hours After ₦100 Million Endowment, Summit University Secures Full ICAN Accreditation for Accounting Programme
By: Michael Mike
In a momentous week for Summit University, Offa, the institution has recorded a double milestone that cements its position as a rising star in Nigeria’s higher education landscape. Less than 48 hours after receiving a transformative ₦100 million endowment from the Isiaq Family Foundation (IFF) to boost accounting education, the University has secured full accreditation for its Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Accounting programme from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
This landmark accreditation follows the recommendation of the Students’ Affairs Committee and was formally approved by the Council of the Institute, having confirmed that the University met all stipulated criteria for assessment. The next accreditation visit by ICAN is scheduled for the 2027/2028 academic session.
The announcement comes as a proud validation of the University’s commitment to academic and professional excellence. It confirms that the Accounting programme at Summit University has not only achieved national benchmarks but is poised to produce graduates who are fully equipped for global relevance in the dynamic world of finance and accounting.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abiodun Musa Aibinu, praised the timing and significance of the dual developments. “This is divine alignment. The recognition by ICAN, coming so soon after the extraordinary endowment by the Isiaq Family Foundation, sends a clear message that Summit University is on the path of greatness. These back-to-back milestones reinforce our resolve to deliver top-tier education and nurture future leaders in the accounting profession.”
Earlier this week, during the 11th Triennial Conference of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria held in Abeokuta, the Isiaq Family Foundation, led by Alhaji Kola Isiaq-Balogun, announced a ₦100 million endowment continue aimed at transforming accounting education at Summit University. The endowment includes annual scholarships for students, the establishment of a Professorial Chair in Accounting, a dedicated research grant, the development of an Accounting Technology Laboratory (AccTech Lab), and awards for the best graduating students. Provisions were also made for solar-powered energy and internet connectivity to support uninterrupted digital access for learning.
The dual developments have been hailed by the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, founders of the University, as a testament to their vision of academic and moral excellence. They reflect not only the growing confidence in the University’s academic direction but also the power of collaboration between philanthropic vision and institutional ambition.
Summit University stands proud in this historic moment—propelled by a generous endowment and fortified by national accreditation—ready to shape the future of accounting education in Nigeria and beyond. As part of its unwavering commitment to producing industry- and community-fitted graduates, the University prioritises the acquisition of seven transformative skills that define its unique educational model.
These include proficiency in ICT and Artificial Intelligence, deep understanding of Financial Literacy, and the nurturing of Acadopreneurship—an innovative blend of academic excellence and entrepreneurial thinking. Students are also grounded in history, heritage, and storytelling skills, empowered with knowledge in Clean and Renewable Energy, and cultivated to become responsible Global Citizens. Through this holistic approach, Summit University is not only building capable professionals but also shaping visionary leaders for national development and global relevance.
Breaking News: Less Than 48 Hours After ₦100 Million Endowment, Summit University Secures Full ICAN Accreditation for Accounting Programme
Education
UNIMAID Student Drowns in Gwange River, Another Rescued

UNIMAID Student Drowns in Gwange River, Another Rescued
By: Zagazola Makama
A tragic drowning incident has claimed the life of a University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) student, while another was rescued after they went swimming at the Gwange River Bank in Maiduguri.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on March 14, 2025, around 7:00 p.m., when two UNIMAID students, identified as Abafras Abdiel from the Department of Forestry and Silas Sule from the Department of Geology, went to the Gwange River Bank behind ECWA Church for a swim.
While diving, both students drowned in the river, prompting an emergency response. A combined rescue team, including the police, divers, and fire service personnel, was immediately mobilized to the scene.
The rescue team managed to retrieve both victims and rushed them to the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri. While Abafras Abdiel was admitted for treatment, Silas Sule was unfortunately certified dead by doctors. His body has since been deposited at the hospital for autopsy and further investigations.
The authorities have urged students and residents to exercise caution when engaging in activities near water bodies, especially during the dry season, when river currents can be unpredictable.
UNIMAID Student Drowns in Gwange River, Another Rescued
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