Parents of 88 stranded Zamfara students studying in Cyprus have appealed for urgent intervention from the Zamfara government to settle their debts in the country’s institutions.

Ibrahim Tudu, the chairman of the Cyprus Students’ Parents Association in Zamfara State, issued a statement on Saturday, noting that the students were in a critical situation.

“We are still appealing to Governor Dauda Lawal to settle the debt owed for our children stranded in Cyprus for them to continue their studies at various levels and disciplines,” he said.

Mr Tudu noted that the students’ residence permits, tuition fees, and accommodation had long expired.

“All the tuition fees for our children, accommodation, residence permits, and feeding have not been paid by the state government. We are still appealing to His Excellency to please respond positively and pay the debt.

“We are here to inform the general public on the true situation of our children, currently stranded in Cyprus, facing hardship. It becomes necessary for us, as parents and guardians of the students and responsible Zamfara State citizens, to comment on misinformation spread about the condition of our children.

“We are appealing again to His Excellency, the Executive Governor,  Dauda Lawal, to settle the accumulated debt of the 88 students amounting to more than N1 billion,” Mr Tudu explained.

The senior special assistant to Governor Dauda Lawal, Mustafa Jafaru-Kaura, recently said the state government had paid ₦290 million for the students.

Mr Jafaru-Kaura also stated that the students refused to return after the state government issued them flight tickets to return to Nigeria.

(NAN)