Students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University (JSTU), Makurdi, have staged a protest over the alleged partial disbursement of their Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) loans, demanding full payment and greater transparency from the university’s management.
The protest followed growing concerns among beneficiaries of the federal student loan scheme, which is designed to ease financial pressure by covering tuition and other academic expenses.
As gathered, the demonstration took place on Monday on campus after reports emerged that only part of the approved loan funds had been released, with the remaining balance unaccounted for.
The students claimed the university received over ₦58 million for the 2025/2026 academic session to support hundreds of students, but disbursement has been incomplete and unclear.
Describing the situation as financially distressing, the students said the scheme was meant to reduce the burden of school fees, not create additional hardship.
“We rely on this loan to stay in school. Any deduction defeats the purpose,” one of the protesting students said. Another added, “We just want transparency and fairness in how the funds are handled.”
The protesters called for full disclosure of disbursement records, immediate payment of outstanding balances, and improved communication from the university authorities.
As of press time, the university management, including the Vice-Chancellor, had not issued an official response to the allegations.
