FG sues US varsity for denying Nigerian students access to their funds

The Federal Government and some

According to WBRC Fox6 News, the university instead of refunding the students the money they didn’t use, allegedly kept the excess money to itself.

The suit against the university was first initiated in May 2016 by a group of Nigerian students who accused Alabama State University, ASU of denying them access to the money sent to them by the Federal Government.

One of the students, Success Jumbo, who has now graduated from the university recounted the hardship he went through when he was a student of the university.

Jumbo said he was denied access to his scholarship funds when he needed money to buy books and other supplies for school.

"We went as far as asking our government to give us authorization for them to release the funds to us, which they did. On several occasions, they wrote two letters, which ASU bluntly declined.

“This is supposed to money that has been made available for us,” Jumbo said. “It’s not like we are asking him to pay us or give us monies from his personal pocket. This was monies already made available for us when we need them,” he said.

Alabama State University reacts

However, the university through its general counsel, Kenneth L. Thomas has responded to the allegation saying the university management complied with the instruction given to the university by Nigerian government regarding the funds.

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“The agreement regarding the education of the Nigerian students dates back to 2013 and has always been between the government of Nigeria and Alabama State University, not the individual students. Since the initiation of the agreement, ASU has adhered to and complied with every instruction and direction given to the University by the Nigerian government regarding that agreement.

ASU has advised the Nigerian government through several letters that as a result of the University’s accounting over the last four years, the government is entitled to a $202,009.50 credit, which was deposited last year into a trust account at the federal courthouse in Montgomery, Ala. The University has yet to receive a response from the Nigerian government regarding the credit."

In 2013, the Federal government sponsored 41 students to study at Alabama State University which is historically a black university.