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Reports that "hundreds" of Nigerian university students have been killed in North Cyprus in recent years have been circulating this week, prompted by this statement. The news reports highlight a few issues that I will try to consider in a sensitive and even-handed way. https://twitter.com/abikedabiri/status/1297937372731056128
First, let’s look at the claims made in a press statement by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) after the mother of student Ibrahim Khaleel Bello, who died in October 2019, handed in a petition to them (see above). https://nidcom.gov.ng/press-release/death-of-ibrahim-khaleel-bello-nidcom-demands-justice-urges-students-to-avoid-northern-cyprus-universities/
The statement says that Bello "was among about 100 Nigerians killed and murdered in mysterious circumstances from 2016 to 2020 without prosecuting any of the assailants".
Of the names NIDCOM released, I was able to identify, through Turkish Cypriot news reports and police statements, at least three whose deaths are the subject of ongoing murder trials – Kennedy Taomwabwa Dede, Obasanjo Adeola Owoyale and Walshak Augustine Ngok.
Of course even one murder is one too many and my sincerest condolences go to the victims' families. NIDCOM also named Augustine Wallies as having been killed on 19 April 2019 – the same date as Walshak Augustine Ngok. Judging by media reports it seems they're the same person.
With regards to Ibrahim Khaleel Bello, Turkish Cypriot police said at the time that he died from injuries sustained in a fall from height, although there does not appear to have been any detailed public statement since as to how and why he fell. https://www.kibrispostasi.com/c86-GIRNE/n300618-25-yasinda-hayatini-kaybeden-gencin-olum-sebebi-aciklandi
From the rest of the names I could find information on, two appear to have been drowning victims, one died 46 days after being hit by a car (in 2013) and another died of a cerebral vascular occlusion while being treated in hospital.
As for the overall murder rate in North Cyprus, the Courts Annual Report 2018 lists the number of premeditated murder cases heard as follows:
2018–6, 2017–3, 2016–2, 20151, 2014–1, 2013–1, 2012–4, 2011–0, 2010–2, 2009–2, 2008–5, 2007–0, 2006–1
https://www.mahkemeler.net/cgi-bin/faaliyet.aspx
2018–6, 2017–3, 2016–2, 20151, 2014–1, 2013–1, 2012–4, 2011–0, 2010–2, 2009–2, 2008–5, 2007–0, 2006–1
https://www.mahkemeler.net/cgi-bin/faaliyet.aspx
According to the UN’s World Statistics Pocketbook 2019 edition (page 88), the intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population for Cyprus (not clear if includes the North) was 1.9 in 2005, 0.7 in 2010 and 1.1 in 2016: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/publications/pocketbook/files/world-stats-pocketbook-2019.pdf
According to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Education Ministry 2019-2020 Statistical Yearbook, published in February, there were 104,658 higher education students, about a quarter of the TRNC’s estimated population. http://eohd.mebnet.net/sites/default/files/2019-2020%20MEKB%20IstatistikYilligi.pdf
Of these students, around 40% – nearly 42,000 – were from countries other than Turkey or the TRNC. A news report from December 2019 based on data from the TRNC’s Higher Education & Foreign Affairs Department (YODID) said there were 7,916 Nigerian students: https://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/kibris/140-ulkeden-41-bin-219-yabanci-ogrencimiz-var-h79334.html
It's been suggested that Nigeria can’t do much to help investigate the deaths of its citizens in North Cyprus because the country isn’t recognised. However, Turkish Cypriot police and officials do sometimes cooperate with other countries to help fight crime.
A Turkish Cypriot wanted in the UK claimed that Brit-TC police cooperation in his case was illegal but a High Court judge ruled: "There is a clear public interest in him being prosecuted elsewhere if that is possible. It is possible in Northern Cyprus.”
http://www.t-vine.com/lack-of-political-settlement-in-cyprus-leaves-courts-free-to-make-common-sense-rulings/
http://www.t-vine.com/lack-of-political-settlement-in-cyprus-leaves-courts-free-to-make-common-sense-rulings/
In another example, a British paedophile was brought to justice after the UK’s National Crime Agency passed intelligence to their counterparts in North Cyprus: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-49499781
There has also been cooperation with the Greek Cypriots. In June 2019 the two sides exchanged murder suspects with the help of the United Nations:
http://www.t-vine.com/turkish-cypriots-hail-green-line-murder-suspect-swap/
http://www.t-vine.com/turkish-cypriots-hail-green-line-murder-suspect-swap/
Even the UN chief Antonio Guterres has said that concerns over the recognition of North Cyprus "should not in themselves constitute an insurmountable obstacle to increased cooperation" (page 12 of his report to the UN Security Council, 10 July 2019). https://unficyp.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/s_2019_562_e.pdf
Last but not least, some say the focus on high profile cases distracts from the day-to-day issues that people face while studying in North Cyprus. Student @obasaolorunfemi explained some of these issues in a recent podcast interview with @FionaMullenCY. http://islandtalks.fm/podcast/figure-it-episode-4-attracting-students-in-the-covid-19-age-17-8-2020/
There was also this comment, issued on Tuesday, by Emmanuel Achiri, the president of the Voices of International Students in Cyprus (VOIS): https://www.facebook.com/100000319354441/posts/3433982796622332/?extid=9jf8Bo5NRLKmJXK4&d=n
The TRNC government is aware of the issues raised by international students. Yesterday the Education Minister Nazım Çavuşoğlu and YODID head Ziya Öztürkler welcomed a group of students to their offices and vowed to look into the problems they raised. https://www.facebook.com/224534101461412/posts/696216564293161/?app=fbl
It’s worth noting that many of these problems are not unique to North Cyprus, and that there are some very good universities, such as Eastern Mediterranean University (where I studied), which has consistently been named as one of the world’s best: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/eastern-mediterranean-university
Finally, I would say the most important thing for any prospective North Cyprus student, wherever in the world you are, is to thoroughly research before choosing a university and ensure that you will be able to get by without relying on getting a job.
