“They are all back in the country,” Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, emphasised. Six students of the UW’s Faculty of Oriental Studies and their tutor returned safely to Poland on Monday morning.

Today (2 September), a plane landed at the Okęcie Airport in Warsaw, bringing the students of African Studies and their tutor back home. The efforts made by the University of Warsaw authorities in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the consular service and dozens of other parties have finally brought the expected result.

“The release of the students and their safe return to Poland determined our actions in recent weeks. Here at the University, I established a special group that called, emailed every day, looking for opportunities to reach the relevant authorities in Nigeria. We used every possible channel of communication. This work has finally paid off. They are all back in the country,” Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, said.

“I would like to thank all those who helped us through their actions and wisdom: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the diplomatic and non-diplomatic services of both sides, journalists, parents and all the assisting staff of the University of Warsaw headed by the Chancellor,” added Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak.

The authorities of the University of Warsaw were working intensively for the release of the students in cooperation with the authorities of Bayero University Kano, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consular services and other institutions, as well as the authorities of the UW’s Faculty of Oriental Studies.

“For nearly a month, we were doing everything we could to ensure that our students and lecturer returned safely to the country. We also monitored their safety and health on a daily basis. The final outcome of the case, which is the safe return of the entire group to Poland, is the result of this weeks-long work undertaken by many people and institutions in Poland and Nigeria,” Robert Grey, the UW Chancellor, said.

The University authorities were in regular contact with the students‘ families during the entire period of the students’ detention, informing them of the actions taken and the status of the case. For reasons of safety and the success of the entire release process, they could not report on the details of the undertaken measures.