UNILAG Says Students Stranded in China Are Returning to Nigeria

UNILAG has confirmed that its students stranded in China after travel arrangement problems during their return from a one-year exchange programme are now on their way back to Nigeria following the university’s intervention, while calls for an investigation into the incident continue.

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has confirmed that a group of its students who were left stranded in China after completing a one-year academic exchange programme are now travelling back to Nigeria. The university said the situation was resolved after concerns about the students’ welfare gained widespread attention on social media.

In a statement shared through its official X (formerly Twitter) account, UNILAG explained that the affected students had been assisted and were already making their journey home. The institution also appreciated those who drew public attention to the issue and assured everyone that the students had been properly cared for. It added that the Vice-Chancellor was grateful for the support and concern shown by members of the public while awaiting the students’ safe arrival in Nigeria.

Following the university’s response, the social media user who first raised the alarm, known as Turah BMG, thanked the university management and the Vice-Chancellor for acting quickly. However, she urged the institution to carry out a thorough investigation into what led to the incident to prevent similar situations in the future. She further alleged that the lecturer responsible for supervising the trip had threatened to fail the students because they spoke publicly about their experience, claiming the lecturer had a history of similar behaviour.

Despite these allegations, UNILAG has not issued any official statement regarding the lecturer or confirmed whether disciplinary proceedings or an internal investigation have begun.

The incident first became public after Turah BMG appealed online for urgent assistance, saying several UNILAG students were stranded abroad. She later explained that the students had travelled to China for a one-year exchange programme and were scheduled to return to Nigeria. According to her, a lecturer handled the travel arrangements after receiving payment the previous year.

She claimed the travel agent engaged by the lecturer booked flights that included a 27-hour layover in Qatar. However, Qatar reportedly permits transit periods exceeding 24 hours only if travellers possess the required visa. As a result, the students were unable to continue their journey as planned.

Another X user, identified as Senatorgraphy, also commented on the situation, alleging that poor planning by the lecturer and the travel agent caused the students’ difficulties. He claimed the lecturer attempted to reduce travel costs by purchasing cheaper flight tickets, resulting in complications that left the students stranded.

According to him, the students were initially stuck in Shanghai and later had to travel approximately 15 hours to Beijing before they could secure flights back to Nigeria. He described the situation as avoidable and blamed it on negligence, calling on the university to investigate the lecturer’s conduct.

The social media user also stated that the Vice-Chancellor stepped in after learning about the situation by providing financial support for the students’ immediate needs, including food, while arrangements were made for their return. He praised the university’s intervention but maintained that those responsible for the travel problems should be held accountable.

Although the students are now reportedly on their way back to Nigeria, many social media users continue to demand a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident to ensure that similar experiences do not occur in future exchange programmes.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, LEADERSHIP