Alhaji Haruna Saidu-Sauwa, the provost of the College of Health Sciences and Technology in Jega, Kebbi State, had his home set on fire by students. This demonstration, which also resulted in his car being vandalized, was in response to the college’s management allegedly extorting N23 million for 250 graduating students’ index registration.
Claims that students were being charged an extra N65,000 for a recently created Public Health program, on top of the N30,000 they had already paid, were the catalyst for the discontent. According to reports, the program was combined with the Department of Environmental Health in order to obtain certification.
Students retaliated by targeting the provost’s home and stoned cars. As emotions increased, some college employees left the area, but security personnel eventually brought everything under control.
The accusations were rejected by Provost Saidu-Sauwa, who described them as “fictitious, baseless, and mischievous.” He insisted that all college monies be kept in a single Treasury Account that is inaccessible to anyone, even himself, and denied any extortion claims or the introduction of new courses. He implied that media reports from an unnamed source may have had an impact on the protest.
Investigations are still underway, according to the Kebbi State Police Command, and more information will be released shortly.
