Nigerian students protest deportation notice by UK university over unpaid fees
Story from Usman UMAR
Nigerian students studying at Teesside University in the United Kingdom have been instructed to leave the institution and return to Nigeria due to unpaid fees.
Teesside University stated that this action was in accordance with the immigration regulations of the UK.
The university spokesperson mentioned that the institution fully supports a strict immigration system and must comply with visa issuance regulations that are beyond their control.
The students who protested on campus accused the university of being insensitive and unjust.
One student, Adenike Ibrahim, shared how she was removed from her course just before submitting her dissertation due to non-payment.
Despite clearing her fees, she is still required to leave the UK with her child and is unable to re-enrol.
Another student, Esther Obigwe, expressed her struggles with reaching out to the university about her financial difficulties but received no response until she was barred from her studies and asked to leave the country.
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The students highlighted that they had invested a significant amount of money to study in the UK and were disappointed by the situation.
Jude Salubi, who was working part-time to pay off his fees, stated that he had paid a substantial amount but still had a balance to clear. He requested an arrangement to continue his studies and restore his visa.
The Home Office mentioned that the decision to grant or withdraw visa support lies with the sponsoring institution.
They advised individuals facing visa issues to rectify their stay or arrange to leave the UK. The students were informed that they had no right to appeal the decision.
As of now, there has been no response from the Nigerian Government regarding the challenges faced by these students in the UK.
This incident occurs amid Nigeria’s foreign exchange crisis and escalating inflation rates.
