Education
Source: Sun News Online The American University Nigeria Academy (AUN) in Yola, Adamawa State, has awarded scholarships to 13 Chibok schoolgirls who escaped from Boko Haram abductors.
The girls were among over the 250 seized from their hostels at the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State on April 14, by Boko Haram militants.
At least 50 of the girls managed to escape but the others have remained in captivity.
Premium Times quotes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the founder of AUN, as saying that he and some individuals have awarded 15 of the girls scholarships.
"15 of the ChibokGirls who escaped have been admitted into AUN Academy on a scholarship," Atiku tweeted, according to Premium Times.
"My sincere thanks to the good spirited individuals and friends who raised funds for this worthy cause. #BringBackOurGirls," he added. Atiku also tweeted pictures of the girls in a classroom.
But Atiku's spokesman Garba Shehu told Daily Trust last night that the university awarded scholarships to 13 of the girls who would be equipped to meet the institution's educational standards.
The scholarships are the first major individual donations to the girls since they regained freedom.
They came after 17-year-old Pakistani girl-child education campaigner, Malala Yousafzai, announced in July that her foundation had raised USD$200,000 in support of the girls' education.
Malala made the announcement while meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, who also announced government scholarships for all the girls to complete their education in other parts of the country.