The Executive Secretary, Yobe Scholarship Board, Dr Abubakar Bukar-Kagu, on Thursday said that the state had spent about N400 million on 233 undergraduate students in foreign countries.

Bukar-Kagu said in Damaturu that the students were studying in reputable universities in India, United Kingdom, Uganda, France and Egypt.

He said that the students were carefully selected from 6,785 applicants after a rigorous screening exercise conducted by some professionals in the state.

“Recall that Gov. Mai Mala-Buni had, shortly after his inauguration, declared a state of emergency in education sector in order to build a solid foundation for future generations.

“This initiative is one of several others aimed at stimulating the sector for maximum result and ensuring that Yobe indigenes acquired best education to enable them realise their full potentials.

“The students are mainly to study professional courses like engineering, pharmacy and medical sciences in order to come back and fill the existing gaps in those areas.

“We have maintained close contact with the students, drawn from all the 17 local government areas of the state and their institutions to ensure that they successfully complete their programmes,” he said.

The Executive Secretary, therefore, urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of Nigeria and shun drug abuse and other forms of crime that could dent the image of the country.

He commended the governor for his foresight and commitment towards the development of education in the state.

(NAN)