Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
Over 700 students of Sokoto State indigene have faulted the Special Adviser to Sokoto State Government on Student Matters, Hon. Abubakar Muhammad Salame, for his Inability to settle their tuition fees despite funds made available by the state Governor Ahmed Aliyu.
The Student’s leader, Usman Yahuza, while addressing newsmen on their predicaments at a press conference on Wednesday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat, Zuru Road Sokoto, alleged that the special Adviser paid only 5,290 students out of the 5,994 verified and approved by the state government.
He said the state government during the period approved a whooping sum of N5557,864,956 for payment of Tuition fees to 5,994 students indigenes of the state at Usmanu Danfodiyo University under the office of the Special Adviser, but only 5,290 students were paid living behind 774 unpaid.
According to them, all efforts to get the Special Adviser the pay the tuition fees prove impossible as he refuses the concerned students access to his office.
The students accused the Special Adviser of diverting funds meant for payment of their tuition fees to his personal use.
“We appeal to His Excellency Governor Ahmed Aliyu to come to our aid, as the situation is biting hard on our studies.
“Many of us have deferred our courses of studies at the University while others engaged in manual labour to raise the amount”
It could be recalled that the Sokoto state government between 14th to 18th May 2024 ordered the verification of its 5,994 student’s indigenes studying at Usmanu Danfodiyo University under the office of the Special Adviser on Students matters after their expulsion by the Institution for non-payment of Tuition fees.
The students also alleged that the Special Adviser paid the 5,290 students in three batches instead of conducting a single payment exercise that would cut across all the verified 5,994 students.
