The Arewa Defence League (ADL) has accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of abandoning Nigerian students enrolled under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme, alleging that the decision was driven by political considerations rather than economic necessity.In a statement released on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, in Abuja, and signed by its President, Murtala Abubakar, the northern-based group said the Federal Government’s handling of the BEA programme reflects a politicisation of foreign policy and a failure of moral responsibility.The group condemned what it described as the government’s silence amid protests by affected students and parents, arguing that the lack of official response has worsened the humanitarian situation facing Nigerian scholars stranded abroad.
According to the ADL, the BEA programme was designed as a diplomatic partnership, not a welfare scheme. Under the agreement, host countries covered tuition and accommodation, while Nigeria paid stipends to its scholars. The league said this arrangement had been sustained for decades, despite periodic administrative delays.“There is nothing inherently wrong with the BEA Scholarship Programme,” the statement said. “Education is not wasteful, and knowledge is not extravagant. The BEA scheme was an investment in Nigeria’s future and a tool of international cooperation.”
The league acknowledged that the programme had long suffered from bureaucratic inefficiencies but argued that no previous administration had “so casually turned its back on students already studying abroad.” The ADL traced the current crisis to May 2025, when the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the government’s decision to discontinue funding for foreign scholarships. The minister reportedly argued that equivalent or better courses were now available in Nigerian institutions and that public funds should be redirected domestically.Although the ministry initially indicated a five-year suspension of the programme, assurances were later given that existing beneficiaries would continue to receive support until they completed their studies. According to the ADL, those assurances have not been honoured.
The group further criticised what it described as a contradiction in government policy, citing reports that ₦1.764 billion was included in the 2026 Appropriation Bill to fund 300 new BEA scholarships. The allocation reportedly covers allowances, health insurance, and travel costs and is contained within the Ministry of Education’s ₦2.39 trillion budget.“For students already abandoned abroad, this was not a policy adjustment but an act of injustice,” the statement said.The league alleged that the non-payment of stipends to existing scholars was influenced by regional considerations, claiming that many of the affected students are from northern Nigeria, while the newly proposed intake was designed to address a perceived regional imbalance.
According to the ADL, stipends for September to December 2023 remain unpaid, only 56 percent of allowances were released in 2024, and no payments were made throughout 2025.The group said Nigerian students in countries including Morocco, China, Russia, and Hungary have staged protests, while parents have demonstrated in Abuja. It noted that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has also intervened, without any resolution so far. “The human cost is devastating,” the statement said, warning that some students have reportedly resorted to unsafe or degrading jobs to survive.The ADL called on President Tinubu to break his silence, honour Nigeria’s commitments, and immediately address the welfare of students affected by the suspension of the BEA programme.
