The Vice Chancellor of University of Maiduguri, Prof. Aliyu Shugaba, has expressed partnership with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) so as to monitor the activities of foreign students.
Shugaba noted that the move was paramount as the University had been battling with some of the students who claimed to be foreign students but had certificate of origin from local governments in Nigeria.
“The authentic foreign students association in the institution have always conducted themselves very well, while those with purported dual citizenship have always been a problem to the institution.
“Foreign students in the university are one of our most difficult problems here. JAMB will always insist that we admit a certain percentage of foreign students.
“To us , our doors are open to foreign students wherever they may come from in the entire world but the ones that we are constantly in touch with here are the Chadians, Nigeriens and Cameroonians.
“These are the ones closer to us. Sometimes we have had students from Mali, Senegal and Ghana.” he said
Shugaba revealed that some coming from Niger will say they are from Katsina. He said that the University will partner with the immigration to solve these problems.
“As an institution of learning, our doors are always open to institutions and organisations that are interested in our activities.
“Immigration has been one of the government agencies that is very much interested in sending their staff for studies and a good number of your staff are studying in this institution.
“We encourage other forces like the Nigerian Army to also do same. The DSS are trying as well,” he said.
The Comptroller of NIS in Borno, Mr Ismaila Mohammed, who was on a familiarisation visit to the university promised to work closely with the vice chancellor to solve the problem of students claiming dual nationalities at the institution.
“By the laws of Nigeria, only the President and Commander in Chief can approve dual citizenship for an individual.
“People can’t just claim to have dual nationalities without undergoing the due process and approval. We will work closely with you to solve some of these problems,” he said.
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