Rilokwah Jatau, a 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), was found dead in an apparent suicide in the university’s senior staff quarters.

The discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by Emmanuel Gyawo, a security officer at the university, who was directed by Professor Shedrack Jatau to check on his son.

Upon arriving at the residence, Gyawo found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.

Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of state at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.

The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. His body has been deposited in the hospital morgue.

Police sources say investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has announced the discontinuation of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship programme.

Alausa made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by newly elected officials of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

He described the BEA programme as an inefficient use of public resources, noting that many of the courses pursued abroad under the scheme were readily available in Nigerian universities.

“I was asked to approve N650 million for 60 students going to Morocco under the BEA programme when I assumed office in 2024.

“I refused. It’s not fair to the majority of Nigerian students,” Alausa said.

The minister expressed dissatisfaction with the behaviour of some beneficiaries, who he claimed had resorted to “blackmail” on social media over delayed allowances.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that several BEA scholars had previously accused the Federal Government of abandoning them and failing to pay their entitlements.

However, the government recently clarified that all supplementary allowances had been paid up to December 2024.

Established through diplomatic partnerships, the BEA programme enabled Nigerian students to study in countries such as China, Russia, Algeria, Hungary, Morocco, Egypt, and Serbia.

Alausa said the government would now redirect BEA funds toward domestic scholarship schemes to benefit a larger number of students.

“I reviewed the courses, some students were sent to Algeria, a French-speaking country, to study English, Psychology, and Sociology, programmes we offer better here in Nigeria,” he said.

He criticised the lack of academic oversight, revealing that scholars received free annual travel without proper performance monitoring.

“In 2025 alone, the government planned to spend N9 billion on just 1,200 students.

“That’s unjust when millions of students in Nigeria receive no support. Every single course these students are studying abroad is available in Nigerian universities,” he said.

Alausa stressed that while current beneficiaries would be allowed to complete their programmes, the BEA scheme would not continue beyond 2025.

“We are cancelling the BEA. It is not the best use of public funds. The money will now be used to fund local scholarships and support more Nigerian students,” he said.

Earlier, the newly elected NANS President, Olushola Oladoja, commended the minister for reforms and progress achieved since assuming office. (NAN)

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared that Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, can secure victory in the 2027 presidential election without forming alliances with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or relying on figures like Atiku Abubakar or Nasir El-Rufai.

In an exclusive interview, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, Deputy President of the NLC Political Commission, described Obi as a credible, broadly accepted leader with deep grassroots and international support more than enough to unseat President Bola Tinubu, assuming a free and fair electoral process.

Ndubuaku dismissed speculation about Obi’s possible return to the PDP, labeling the party “crisis-ridden and practically empty.”

“Peter Obi is a sellable candidate. He doesn’t need any coalition to win in 2027,” Ndubuaku stated. “He was already in the lead during the 2023 elections, even clinching Lagos Tinubu’s stronghold which clearly demonstrates his nationwide appeal.”

He emphasized that transparent and credible elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would reveal the breadth of Obi’s support, which cuts across all six geopolitical zones.

His remarks follow the Obidients Movement’s recent reaffirmation of loyalty to Obi. National Coordinator Dr. Yunusa Tanko described Obi as the only candidate capable of bringing meaningful change to Nigeria.

Ndubuaku further criticized the PDP, arguing it no longer presents a viable platform for serious contenders. “The Labour Party has resolved its internal leadership disputes, unlike the PDP, which remains in disarray. Leaving LP for the PDP would be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.”

He also downplayed zoning concerns, insisting Obi’s competence should take precedence over rotational politics.

“The North may worry he’ll seek two terms and upset zoning arrangements, but Obi is not power-hungry he is driven by a sincere commitment to national transformation,” he concluded.