Teesside Varsity: Nigerian Government Intervenes to Prevent Deportation of Nigerian Students from the UK

In response to the recent deportation orders issued against some Nigerian students at Teesside University in the United Kingdom, the Federal Government of Nigeria, on Sunday, held a virtual meeting with the affected students.

Consequently, a delegation led by Ambassador Christian Okeke, a representative of the Nigerian Embassy in the UK, along with leaders of the Nigerian Students Union in the UK, is set to meet with the university’s management to seek a resolution to the issue.

This was made known in a press release signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, spokesperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) and posted on the official X handle of the Commission on Wednesday.

He noted that during the meeting, the students shared their experiences and expressed hope for a favourable outcome.

Chairman of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chaired the meeting, and assured the students that “the delegates will meet the school’s management to know why you are the only ones being treated this way.”

In light of the situation, Dabiri-Erewa urged the students to remain calm and not to take the law into their own hands. She also appealed to Teesside University to handle the matter with fairness and justice, emphasising the importance of a peaceful resolution.

Recall that this issue gained attention following a protest staged by some Nigerian students at Teesside University on May 22, 2024. The protest was a response to directives from the university authorities ordering the students to leave the UK, citing non-payment of their school fees.