Chaos erupted at the College of Health Sciences and Technology in Jega, Kebbi State, as angry students set fire to the residence of the college’s provost, Alhaji Haruna Saidu-Sauwa, and vandalized his vehicle. The violent protest, which unfolded on Tuesday, was fueled by allegations of extortion involving the sum of N23 million, linked to the registration fees for final-year students.
The unrest was triggered by accusations that the college management had unjustly demanded additional fees from 250 graduating students for index registration. According to a source within the institution, who requested anonymity, the controversy stemmed from a newly introduced Public Health program, which was originally affiliated with the Reproductive Health and Public Health Association of Nigeria.
The source explained that the college had merged the program with the Department of Environmental Health to secure certification, leading to an extra N65,000 charge for students, in addition to the N30,000 already paid. The students, alleging extortion by the college authorities, responded by staging a violent protest, throwing stones, and targeting the provost’s residence, which was set ablaze.
Staff members fled the scene in fear as tensions escalated, and security personnel arrived to restore order.
In response to the allegations, Provost Saidu-Sauwa denied any involvement in extortion and described the claims as “fictitious, baseless, and mischievous.” He dismissed rumors of introducing a new course that required additional payments, challenging those spreading the story to provide evidence.
“The allegations are completely unfounded. The college operates under a Single Treasury Account (TSA), and no one, including myself, has access to the funds. The claims of extortion and course duplications are false,” Saidu-Sauwa stated.
The provost also accused certain individuals of spreading misinformation to tarnish the reputation of the college, asserting that the protest was incited by those with ulterior motives. He urged students and staff to remain calm while the true cause of the unrest was investigated.
Security agencies quickly intervened, dispersing the protesters and restoring normalcy to the college campus. The Kebbi State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the incident and stated that further details would be provided once information from the Divisional Police Officer in Jega was available.
As of now, investigations are ongoing to determine the root cause of the protest and hold those responsible accountable.
