American Billionaire Robert Smith Funds Escaped Chibok Girls' Education

Chibok
Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo looks on while his wife Dolapo comforts one of the 21 freed Chibok girls freed from Boko Haram in October 2016, Abuja, Nigeria. Philip Ojisua/Getty

An American billionaire is funding the education of 24 Nigerian Chibok girls recently released from Boko Haram's captivity, according to reports.

Robert Smith, founder of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm, is sponsoring the girls to study at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola, Nigeria.

According to The Huffington Post, the AUN is regarded as a school for the country's elite.

Last week, Nigeria's media spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, confirmed that Smith, who has an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion according to Forbes, had offered his financial support.

The school's foundation has posted a statement to their website thanking "two extraordinary anonymous philanthropists," as well as "hundreds of gifts from generous donors all over the world," that will allow the Chibok girls to study there.

Shehu added that Smith is also "offering to take responsibility for all the others who will hopefully be eventually set free," The Huffington Post reported yesterday.

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