Atiku Abubakar's Commitment to Education in Yola

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar established the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola, Adamawa State, to invest in his community and enhance access to world-class education in a region needing development. He stated that if profit were his primary motivation, he would have chosen locations like Lagos or Abuja.

Atiku responded to criticism regarding his contribution to the out-of-school children crisis in Northern Nigeria, asserting that the sight of children begging should concern all Nigerians. He emphasized that AUN is no longer his personal property, having signed a deed of gift transferring ownership to the community.

Atiku highlighted various programs initiated by AUN, such as the Feed and Read initiative, which provides meals and basic education to vulnerable Almajiri children, and the Technology-Enhanced Learning for All initiative, which has helped over 20,000 internally displaced children learn to read. He also mentioned scholarships awarded to young women affected by the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction.