The Kebbi State College of Health Sciences and Technology in Jega, Nigeria, remains closed after angry students set fire to the residence and destroyed the car of the college provost, Haruna Saidu-Sauwa, over the alleged non-accreditation of three courses as well as accusations of extortion.
The Kebbi State government ordered the indefinite closure of the college following violent protests that erupted on 17 October. The ministry of education has also set up a committee to investigate the students’ allegations.
According to students who spoke to University World News, the accreditation matter relates to courses at the college’s departments of reproductive health, junior community health and public health.
Piecing together the protest puzzle
The events were triggered over allegations that the college management extorted NGN23 million (about US$14,000) from 250 graduating students who paid the money to sit for a national accreditation examination in their fields of study, also referred to as index registration.
The college allegedly collected NGN30,000 from each student for the index registration and later on requested an additional NGN65,000 from each – despite allegations that the courses were not accredited.
A newly introduced public health programme, initially affiliated with the Reproductive Health and Public Health Association of Nigeria, has been highlighted as the biggest problem area. The college allegedly merged this course with a programme from the environmental health department to secure the needed certification, leading to a demand that students contribute an additional NGN65,000 each.
Protest action
Aminu Aminu Alhaji, a second-year public health student, told University World News that the reason students burned the house and destroyed the provost’s car was that, since they were offered admission, they had been hearing rumours about the non-accreditation of their public health course.
Whenever they asked the public health department’s staff about the status of the course, they were told it was accredited and were warned not to believe any information they heard.
However, recently, students discovered that the first set of college graduates in 2023 could not proceed to study for a BSc in public health or secure employment with the certificates they had obtained from the college because their courses were not accredited with the National Board for Technical Education, or NBTE, and, on graduation day, they would be awarded Ordinary Diplomas instead of National Diplomas.
A national diploma is widely accepted and recognised across Nigeria and it is fully accredited as opposed to the ordinary diploma, which does not carry the same educational status.
The students alleged that the certificates of students who graduated with Ordinary Diplomas were rejected by employers, and those who secured jobs were later fired because, they were told, their results were fake and not accredited.
Talks between students and management
“When the present [cohort of students] heard about it, the first step they took was to narrate everything they had learned from the graduates to the Dean of Student Affairs, Alhaji Isah Sarkin Yamma, who told them to relax, as he would meet with the school registrar to determine their fate,” he said.
When the dean spoke to the registrar, Bilyaminu Danjumma, they told executives of the public health department to send their representatives to speak to the provost and other staff on 17 October.
At this point, students also entered the school trying to have a meeting with the registrar and provost.
“From there, the students’ minds were set. They held a meeting and returned to the school to start a riot. They went to his house, and he ran away. They burned his house and vandalised his car,” Aminu told University World News.
Students dispersed with tear gas
On the day of the protest, students were instructed to vacate the hostel within three hours, leading to some collapsing due to tear gas deployed by law enforcement officials. They pleaded with the government to intervene, as they had invested money and energy in a course that was allegedly not accredited.
Umar Aliyu, a first-year student training to become a pharmacy technician at the college, confirmed the incident, stating that security forces used tear gas, which affected many, in particular those with asthma.
“One major issue was that, when the tear gas was deployed, they closed the gates, preventing anyone from exiting. Students were suffocated by the gas and had to break into a building from the back to leave the school premises,” Aliyu told University World News.
Calls on staff to remain calm
When University World News contacted Provost Haruna Saidu-Sauwa, he said he could not divulge anything on the matter as the Kebbi State Ministry of Higher Education had taken over the issue.
Registrar Bilyaminu Danjumma also told University World News that the state government, through the ministry of higher education, has taken over the case by shutting down the institution and setting up a committee to investigate the matter.
Provost Haruna Saidu-Sauwa denied the allegations of extorting money from students, calling them “fictitious, baseless, and mischievous”, according to a news report. He said they were based on misinformation.
“How can one expect a diploma when the admission letter reads a certificate?” Saidu-Sauwa asked, emphasising that every student’s course details were clearly stated in their offer letters. He challenged those making accusations to present evidence to support their claims.
“We are thankful no one was harmed, and we are working with security personnel to identify the organisers of the protest, which damaged my personal vehicle and other college property,” he said.
Saidu-Sauwa called on students and staff to remain calm while the investigation into the incident continued.
“We will soon come and explain things to the public, but with the situation now, I will not provide [additional information],” he said.
