Students protest, burn provost’s residence in Kebbi over extortion

Students protest, burn provost’s residence in Kebbi over extortion

Students at the College of Health Sciences and Technology in Jega, Kebbi State, have set fire to the residence of the institution’s provost, Haruna Saidu-Sauwa, over allegations of extortion.

The students accused the college management of demanding N23 million in fees.

During the protest, the provost’s vehicle was also vandalised. The unrest reportedly stemmed from claims that the administration imposed an additional charge of N65,000 on top of the N30,000 already paid by students as part of their index registration fees.

The charges were related to a newly introduced Public Health programme, which had been merged with the Environmental Health department.

The students, alleging extortion, reacted by attacking property, including the provost’s residence. Some staff members reportedly fled before security forces arrived to restore calm.

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In response, the provost, Haruna Saidu-Sauwa, denied the accusations, describing them as “fictitious and baseless”. He stated that all payments were made into a Treasury Single Account, which he could not access, and accused the media of spreading misinformation to undermine the institution.

“We are grateful no one was harmed. The authorities are working to identify those responsible for the protest,” Saidu-Sauwa said, adding that investigations into the matter were ongoing.

The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed that the situation had been brought under control, with no casualties reported. Further details are expected once local police conclude their investigation.

The incident has raised concerns about the ethical practices of the college, known for training healthcare professionals, as it faces increasing scrutiny.

 

Students protest, burn provost’s residence in Kebbi over extortion