As the bombardment by Russia continues, the Sokoto state government, said it is monitoring the situation as it concerns the safety of its 100 students studying in Ukraine.
Sokoto State Commissioner of Higher Education, Professor Bashir Garba, made this known on Saturday while briefing newsmen who are in the state to inspect legacy projects initiated by the Governor Aminu Tambuwal-led administration.
Prof. Garba the students are on the scholarship of the state government studying medicine in Ukraine.
He noted that since the outbreak of the crisis, the state government in collaboration with the federal government swung into action to ensure the safety of Nigerian students.
The Sokoto State Commissioner said, “We are monitoring the crisis and the federal government also is looking at the situation and when they need to evacuate Nigerians, they will do so. Evacuation is federal government’s responsibility and I think they are on it.
“So far, we are in touch with them and not a single person, not even one of them has withdrawn from the programme. They are doing well.
“In order to enhance the capacity of what is already on ground, the governor decided to send a number of students outside the country to study medicine and para-medical programmes. In Ukraine alone, we have about 100 students studying medicine, and we have 200 in India studying other medical-related courses and we have others in different countries.”
The former Secretary to the Sokoto State Government further explained that “some just entered and some have started graduating, especially those in India. Those that are studying medicine in Ukraine, I think they are in their second or third year or about completing second year. And we have some that graduated from Uganda, Ghana and other places.
“Just recently, we went to Sudan to witness graduation ceremony of about 46 medical graduates, with degree in medicine. The governor himself went to witness it as a way of encouraging others who have not graduated in those universities.”
