By Umar Faruk Birnin Kebbi
Irate students at the College of Health Sciences and Technology in Jega, Kebbi State, have set the residence of Provost Alhaji Haruna Saidu-Sauwa ablaze and vandalized his vehicle. The students are protesting the alleged extortion of N23 million by the college management regarding the index registration of 250 graduands.
According to an anonymous source within the college, the controversy stems from a newly introduced Public Health program initially affiliated with Reproductive Health and the Public Health Association of Nigeria. However, the college management merged the two with the Environmental Health department to secure certification. As a result, students were asked to pay N65,000 for index registration, in addition to the initial N30,000 they had already paid.
The students alleged that this was extortion and responded violently, stoning vehicles and setting the provost’s residence ablaze. College staff fled in fear, jumping fences to escape the irate students before security personnel arrived.
The Kebbi Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Abubakar, promised to provide more information once details from the Divisional Police Officer in Jega are available.
The college’s mission is to train and prepare human resources that fit into the healthcare delivery system through accredited programs. However, the current situation raises concerns about the institution’s commitment to its mission.
