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127 Nigerians Receive UK Chevening And Commonwealth Scholarships

Published

3 years ago

August 31, 2023

The British Government has awarded 127 Nigerians with the prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth UK scholarships to study a wide range of master’s and doctorate degree programmes in 2023.

This was disclosed in a press statement by the Senior Communications & Public Diplomacy Officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, British High Commission, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, on Wednesday.

Dr Richard Montgomery, the British High Commissioner, was present at the reception organised for the beneficiaries in Abuja, where he commended and congratulated them for the efforts they invested to receive the awards.

Speaking at the reception, Montgomery said, “Seeing you all here is a great testimony to hard work, perseverance and resilience through a highly competitive process.

“I challenge each of you to aim for excellence in your studies, to be great ambassadors for Nigeria in the UK, and to take advantage of every opportunity during your scholarship – through growing your knowledge, enriching cultural exchange, and confident networking – and then bringing those experiences back to Nigeria and doing great things for your country while creating a positive change in this country and the world.”

Expressing his thoughts on the scholarship, Commonwealth Scholar, Michael Oyedoyin, who will study Family and Child Psychology at the University of Chester, UK, said, “I have always loved to teach, and my first degree is in Teacher Education. However, while teaching in schools, I observed that family issues were often the underlying cause of students’ poor academic performance and absence from school. Therefore, I chose this master’s to equip me to support my students beyond the classroom.”

Also, Chevening Scholar, Odera Akpata, who will study International Business at the University of Warwick, UK, said, “Reflecting on my last two applications, I am assured that great things happen to those who never give up”.

Chevening and Commonwealth Scholarships are awarded to individuals who demonstrate intellectual ability, leadership potential and a commitment to development of their home country.

The Chevening Scholarship, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, has offered 44 Nigerian students fully-funded scholarships to pursue one-year master’s degrees in the UK. The recipients were selected from a pool of over 14,000 applications in Nigeria and more than 62,000 applications across the globe. Approximately 1,500 alumni have benefitted from the Chevening scholarship in Nigeria.

This year, the Commonwealth Scholarship sends off 83 scholars to study in the UK. Every year, over 100 Nigerian students benefit from the scholarship for postgraduate and PhD degrees. The Commonwealth scheme has impacted over 2500 alumni in Nigeria since its inception.

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

6 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

6 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

6 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.