Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to broadening learning opportunities for indigent students from Borno State and thousands of Nigerian refugees residing in Cameroon.
The governor made the pledge during a visit to the University of Maroua in Cameroon’s Far North Region as part of his two-day official engagement.
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While at the institution, he inspected an ongoing construction of a 500-seat lecture theatre funded by the Borno State Government.
Earlier, Governor Zulum visited the Minawao refugee camp, where over 12,000 Nigerians, mostly from Kirawa, Ngoshe, Ashigashiya and surrounding communities in Gwoza Local Government Area, have lived for more than ten years after fleeing Boko Haram attacks.
The visit forms part of ongoing efforts to facilitate their safe and voluntary repatriation.
The lecture theatre project, now at an advanced stage, is designed to benefit both Nigerian students studying in Cameroon and refugee learners whose education was disrupted by the insurgency.
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Observers have described the initiative as a significant demonstration of cross-border educational diplomacy and regional cooperation.
Reaffirming education as a cornerstone of Borno’s post-insurgency reconstruction, Governor Zulum also announced plans to expand scholarship opportunities for Borno indigenes and for Nigerian refugees pursuing studies in Cameroon.
“Our commitment to education does not end at our territorial borders,”
“We will explore possibilities to increase the number of Borno students enrolled at the University of Maroua, especially given the institution’s long-standing support for learners affected by the insurgency.”
Responding, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maroua, Professor Idrissou Alloum, praised Governor Zulum for what he described as an “unprecedented gesture” that deepens access to education and strengthens historical ties between border communities in Nigeria and Cameroon.
“Your Excellency, we express our profound gratitude for the continued support of this institution,”
Governor Zulum was accompanied by the Governor of Cameroon’s Far North Region, Mijinyawa Bakari; Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume; Member representing Gwoza State Constituency, top government officials, alongside local government officials from Cameroon.