A former spokesman for the Nigeria Police Force, Kaduna State Command, ASP Aliyu Usman, has become the first Nigerian to receive the Irish Aid Fellowship Award.
Usman is now undergoing a Masters programme in Human Rights in Criminal Justice, at the University of Limerick, School of Law, a statement by the university said.
“Earlier this year, Aliyu was the first Nigerian Police Officer selected to participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders and comes to the University of Limerick, School of Law, as the first Nigerian to receive Irish Aid Fellowship Award.
“He emerged as the inaugural fellow of Irish Aid Roger Casement Fellowship in Human Rights after an extremely competitive process that attracted a large number of highly qualified candidates in Nigeria.
“He was, moreover, chosen from over 22,000 Nigerian candidates that competed for 100 slots in the 2017 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.
“He studied Public Management at Syracuse University, New York and participated in Summit organized for the 1000 Mandela Washington Fellows in Washington D.C,’’ it added.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Fellowship is to provide experienced, talented and motivated candidates with the opportunity to avail themselves of world-class faculty and facilities in Ireland in order to contribute to the future development of Nigeria.It quoted Usman as saying that his selection came to him as an “ecstatic surprise’’.
“The fellowship has strengthened my aspiration of becoming an efficient, well-trained and highly productive public servant that will work on improving Human Rights and Criminal Justice in Nigeria,’’ Usman added.
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