The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has confirmed that a group of its students who were stranded in China while returning from a one-year academic exchange programme are now on their way back to Nigeria following the institution’s intervention.
The incident gained public attention after an X user, @Osunwede, popularly known as Turah BMG, raised an alarm on Monday, urging the university’s management to intervene on behalf of the affected students.
According to posts shared on X, the students encountered travel difficulties after an agent allegedly booked a flight itinerary with a 27-hour layover in Qatar, exceeding the country’s 24-hour transit limit for passengers without a visa.
Another X user, @Senatoradeyemi2, claimed the students were left stranded in Shanghai due to the failed travel arrangements and alleged that the situation resulted from negligence in handling their travel logistics.
He further stated that the students were required to travel from Shanghai to Beijing to secure alternative flights back to Nigeria.
The user also disclosed that the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG intervened by providing financial support for the students’ immediate welfare, including feeding expenses, while efforts were made to resolve the travel issues.
Responding through its official X account, UNILAG confirmed that the matter had been successfully resolved.
“Thank you for reaching out. The situation has been swiftly resolved. The students have been well taken care of and are now on their way back home. As we await their safe return, on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, we appreciate everyone who brought this to our attention,” the university stated.
Following the development, Turah BMG commended the university and the Vice-Chancellor for their prompt response but called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the incident.
She also alleged that the lecturer overseeing the exchange programme had threatened to fail students who spoke out about the ordeal, urging the university to ensure accountability and prevent similar incidents in the future.
As of the time of filing this report, UNILAG had not publicly responded to the allegation against the lecturer or confirmed whether an internal investigation had been launched.
