The Kebbi State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the College of Health Technology in Jega following a protest by students. This decision was announced on Thursday by the state’s Commissioner for Higher Education, Isah Abubakar-Tunga, through a press release in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
Abubakar-Tunga explained that the closure was deemed necessary to prevent the situation from escalating further, potentially leading to widespread unrest. He directed all students to vacate the school premises immediately to ensure safety.
The students, who were scheduled to begin their examinations the following week, were reportedly outraged. The commissioner revealed that the protestors targeted the Provost of the college, setting his residence ablaze and vandalizing his vehicle. “When we arrived at the college, only the Registrar was on the premises. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) had already escorted the Provost to the police station to protect his life,” Abubakar-Tunga said. He credited the DPO’s swift action with saving the Provost from being lynched by the students.
Despite the tense atmosphere, the commissioner commended the efforts of Sarkin Jega, a local traditional leader, for using his influence to help calm the situation. To further ease tensions and understand the students’ grievances, Abubakar-Tunga’s team invited the demonstrators to select ten representatives for a dialogue.
During the discussions, the students raised several concerns, chief among them being the lack of accreditation for some of the courses offered by the college. The students explained that while the courses have state-level recognition, they do not have federal accreditation, meaning their diplomas would not be nationally recognized upon graduation. Other grievances included poor infrastructure, such as a lack of toilets, potable water, and inadequate sanitary conditions, as well as complaints of bad leadership at the institution.
In response, Abubakar-Tunga promised to set up a committee to investigate the root causes of the protest and assess the damages. He assured that those responsible for the unrest, whether students or staff, would face appropriate disciplinary measures.
The college is expected to remain closed for three weeks to a month, with the commissioner mandating that upon their return, all students must be accompanied by their parents and sign an undertaking. This document will require students to commit to good behavior and agree to cover any damages caused during the protest.
