Atiku Abubakar: AUN Established to Tackle Almajiri Crisis

Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President and 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, stated that he founded the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola to combat the Almajiri crisis and the issue of out-of-school children in northern Nigeria. He expressed concern over the sight of children begging on the streets, asserting that it should trouble every Nigerian.

Atiku chose Yola for the university's location to invest in the local community and provide access to world-class education. He clarified that profit was not his primary motivation.

Atiku also addressed ownership concerns, stating he signed a deed of gift transferring AUN to the community it serves. He cited two initiatives: Feed and Read, which provides meals and literacy lessons to vulnerable Almajiri children, and Technology-Enhanced Learning for All, which has taught over 20,000 internally displaced children to read.

He also mentioned AUN's scholarships awarded in 2014 to young women who escaped the Chibok abductions.