The Constanta Maritime University in Romania, has threatened to expel over 300 Nigerians who are currently studying in the institution on the scholarship of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, as the agency has allegedly refused to pay their school fees and other allowances.

The affected students are said to be in their first, second and third year at the university.

The fees of the students who are studying engineering, navigation and naval transport, are reportedly a total of €5,720 which is about N1.23m currently.

It will be recalled that NIMASA had sent over 2,500 young Nigerians on scholarship to reputable institutions in the United Kingdom, Egypt, Romania, India and The Philippines to study marine engineering, naval architecture and nautical sciences under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme.

According to reports, the institution has threatened to deport the Nigerian students back to the country if their fees are not paid soon.

One of the students, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, told Premium Times that the school authorities have threatened to send them back to Nigeria if NIMASA does not pay the fees and allowances by January 31.

“We are stranded, confused and cannot concentrate on our studies based on the unfortunate news of expulsion unleashed to them by the school.

“The school has said that if by 30th of January the school fees are not paid it has no option than to return us back home.”

The unidentified student also alleged that the university officials have been trying to reach NIMASA to resolve the matter but have received no positive response from the agency concerning the future of the students in the school.

When contacted about the situation, a senior official of NIMASA reportedly disclosed unofficially that the agency was currently going through some challenges which have caused a delay in paying the fees and allowances.