Published 28th May, 2024

By Tola Owoyele

Sue Agazie, a Nigerian student residing in Newcastle, United Kingdom, is facing a possible removal from the United Kingdom due to her inability to pay her school fees.

Agazie, a PhD student at the University of Newcastle, is currently battling stage-five kidney disease.

According to the BBC, Agazie has been told to leave the UK by July 20 or make a new application to stay. The student, on the other hand, has protested the decision, saying she was initially promised adequate funding by her supervisor while she was being recruited for the PhD programme.

Sue Agazie, a Nigerian student battling stage-5 kidney disease in UK — Sue Agazie

Unfortunately, the PhD funding she was promised did not materialise in the end, and that resulted in her not being able to pay all the required fees.

The student has described the plan by the UK Home Office to send her back to Nigeria in her condition as a “death sentence”.

Agazie was diagnosed with stage-five kidney disease in September 2023. This means her kidneys have either completely failed or are on the verge of doing so. Presently, she is on a waiting list for a kidney transplant.

“I have to check my blood pressure almost every two or three hours,” said Agazie.

Having incurred over £2,000 debt in university accommodation fees, Agazie is expected to leave the country in the company of her husband and their six-year-old son.

The family of three have also been relying on food banks for survival.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian has accused the university of not taking her health condition seriously. She also said the institution had been “actively hostile to her”.

“I’ve been really surprised by the way the university has treated me,” said Agazie.”This is not what we were told – it is not the way British universities are sold to us in our country.

“The university is meant to protect and support me.”

Newcastle University is, however, said to be currently investigating Agazie’s complaint.

Share on Social Media