Students of the College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega, Kebbi State, have reacted violently to allegations of extortion by setting fire to the residence of the college’s Provost, Haruna Saidu-Sauwa.
The unrest, which also saw the provost’s vehicle vandalized, was fueled by claims that the school administration extorted a total of N23 million in fees.
The protest was sparked by accusations that the college management imposed an additional fee of N65,000 on each of the 250 graduating students for index registration.
This charge came on top of the N30,000 that students had already paid earlier. The additional fee was allegedly linked to a newly introduced public health programme, which was initially under the affiliation of the Reproductive Health and Public Health Association of Nigeria.
A source within the college explained that the programme was later merged with the Environmental Health Department to ensure certification, and management justified the extra charge based on this merger. However, students interpreted the fee as a form of extortion.
Frustrated by what they saw as an unjust demand, the students resorted to violence. They threw stones, destroyed property, and eventually set the provost’s residence on fire. Several staff members fled the campus in fear of their safety before law enforcement agents arrived to regain control of the situation.
The Kebbi State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the incident, stating that full details would be made available once the Divisional Police Officer of Jega Local Government Area completes preliminary investigations into the matter.
