President Bola Tinubu has approved ₦1.85 billion to sustain the education, welfare, and rehabilitation of the rescued Chibok schoolgirls, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to supporting them until 2027.
In a statement on Thursday, the Federal Ministry of Education disclosed that the government has so far committed ₦1,854,277,768 to the Chibok Girls Intervention Programme, which covers tuition fees, accommodation, vocational training, psychosocial support, medical care, and parental assistance.
“Mr. President has continued to approve the payment of tuition, accommodation, and associated fees to the American University of Nigeria (AUN), ensuring the uninterrupted education of these young women,” the ministry noted.
Minister of Education, Professor Tunji Alausa, said the intervention reflects both a financial and moral obligation.
“This is not only about money; it is about Nigeria’s pledge to turn a dark chapter in our nation’s history into a story of resilience, dignity, and hope.
The education of Nigerian children must rise above partisan politics, and Mr. President has shown true statesmanship by safeguarding the education of these girls, even in institutions owned by his fiercest critics,” Alausa stated.
The programme extends beyond tuition, providing vocational starter packs, child and parental support, surgical care, logistics, and National Health Insurance enrolment. Monitoring and evaluation of the girls’ academic progress will continue over the next three years.
More than a decade after Boko Haram abducted 276 students from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, in April 2014, 108 of the survivors remain under government care. Of these, 68 are currently enrolled at AUN in Yola.
The kidnapping sparked the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign, drawing support from international voices such as Michelle Obama and Malala Yousafzai.
While many girls have since been rescued, most recently Lydia Simon in 2024 after 10 years in captivity, 82 remain missing, with families and advocacy groups continuing to press for their safe return.
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