The First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has offered a scholarship, through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), to the five rescued undergraduates of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA), Katsina State.
The first lady, alongside the wife of the vice president, Hajia Nana Shettima, yesterday in Abuja presented N1 million and a new laptop to each of the students who were kidnapped from their private lodge at Dutsin-Ma on October 4.
She said the scholarship would run for four years, being the period the girls, Safiya Mutu, Hasiya Abubakar, Ramat Adam, Fatima Abdullahi, and Fatima Mohammed, would spend in school.
They are all currently in 100-level.
She said that the Federal Government valued their education and safety and promised to give each of their parents N2 million and the Vice Chancellor of FUDMA, Prof. Armaya’u Bichi, N1 million.
“Since your dreadful abduction on October 4, it has been a period of pain for you, your parents, your teachers, and indeed all Nigerians. Throughout this period, we have kept faith and trust in God and in our law enforcement agencies that you will return safely,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu also promised to go beyond their safe return, promising to do a follow-up on their development both in school and concerning their mental health.
“We will do a follow up on your journey not only to recover from this sad episode in your lives, but to see that you accomplish your mission in your educational pursuit and career interests. You must continue to pursue your educational interests.
“Education is the greatest weapon in the fight against terrorism, by ensuring that you continue to learn, you can rewrite the story of your individual lives and your communities and join in the fight against terrorism and criminality,” she said.
Responding, each of the girls thanked Mrs Tinubu for their kind gestures. (NAN)
