Kebbi Health College Students Protest, Set Ablaze Provost’s Resident, Vandalize Car

By Ayodele Oni

Protesting over hike in registration fees for some courses, students of the College of Health Sciences and Technology in Jega, Kebbi State, have allegedly set the residence of the Provost, Alhaji Haruna Saidu-Sauwa ablaze and vandalized his vehicle.

Report stated that the students are protesting the alleged extortion of N23 million by the college management regarding the index registration for 250 graduands.

According to sources within the college, tension rose following a newly introduced Public Health programme initially affiliated with Reproductive Health and the Public Health Association of Nigeria.

It was gathered that the college management merged the two courses 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,  Nafiu Abubakar, who confirmed the incident, promised to provide more information once details from the Divisional Police Officer in Jega are available.

The arrival of security personnel on the campus has however dispersed the rampaging students while policemen were stationed at strategic places to curtail the protest.