The Kebbi State Government has indefinitely closed the College of Health Sciences in Jega following a violent protest that erupted on Thursday. The students were protesting alleged extortion by the college’s management and the non-accreditation of certain courses.
To address the unrest, the government has established a nine-member panel of inquiry, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Higher Education, Hussaini Abdullahi Suru. During a press briefing on Friday, Suru explained that the panel’s task is to investigate the causes of the protest, identify those responsible, assess any external influences, and evaluate the damage caused to the college’s property.
The Commissioner for Higher Education, Isah Abubakar Tunga, provided further details on why the college was closed. “The closure became necessary because allowing the protest to continue could lead to a larger, uncontrollable situation,” he said.
Tunga also revealed that the demonstration had turned violent, with students targeting the provost of the college. “Their main target was the provost. They burned his house and completely destroyed his car. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the area had to intervene and take the provost to the police station for his safety,” Tunga added.
The panel has been given two weeks to complete its investigation and submit its recommendations. The panel’s chairman assured the public that justice would be served within the given timeframe.
According to reports from SaharaReporters, on Thursday, enraged students set fire to the residence of the Provost, Haruna Saidu-Sauwa, accusing him of extorting N23 million in fees. During the chaos, the provost’s car was also vandalized. The protest stemmed from accusations that the college management demanded N23 million from students for index registration.
These allegations followed the merger of the newly introduced Public Health programme with the Environmental Health department, which required students to pay an additional N65,000 on top of the N30,000 they had already paid. The financial burden led to frustration among students, who resorted to stoning vehicles and setting the provost’s home ablaze.
A source within the institution linked the violent unrest to the extra financial demands. Some staff members reportedly fled before security forces arrived to restore calm.
In response, Provost Haruna Saidu-Sauwa denied the allegations, calling them “fictitious, baseless, and mischievous.” He dismissed claims that he had orchestrated any extortion and challenged those making the accusations to provide evidence.
“How can someone expect a diploma when their admission letter clearly states ‘certificate’?” Saidu-Sauwa questioned, noting that each student’s course details were explicitly outlined in their admission offer letters. He emphasized that the college operates under a Treasury Single Account (TSA) system, meaning no individual, including himself, had access to any funds. Saidu-Sauwa also accused the media of spreading unverified stories to please certain “paymasters” aiming to discredit the college.
“We are grateful that no one was injured. We are now working with security personnel to identify the organizers of the protest, which led to the destruction of my personal vehicle and other college property,” he said. The provost urged students and staff to remain calm as the investigation continues.
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