By Victor Akan
The Kebbi Government has announced the closure of the College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega, indefinitely following a violent protest by students.
The Commissioner for Higher Education in the state, Alhaji Isah Abubakar-Tunga, made this known in Birnin Kebbi on Friday while briefing newsmen.
”Sequel to the violent protest that resulted in the setting ablaze the residence of the Provost of the college, Alhaji Haruna Saidu-Sauwa, we have directed that the college be shut down indefinitely,” he said.
Abubakar-Tunga said the action became imperative in view of the fact that if the demonstration was allowed to continue, it might escalate.
”Students are hereby advised to vacate the college premises with immediate effect.
”Their main target was the Provost, they burnt down his house and completely vandalised his car.
” When we visited the college, we only met the Registrar of the school. The Divisional Police Office (DPO) of the area told us the provost was in a safe pace.
”But for the DPO’s intervention, the students would have lynched the provost,” he said.
Abubakar-Tunga said that the government asked the rioting students to nominate 10 representatives for dialogue.
”While deliberating with the students’ representatives, the students outlined some of their grievances to include; lack of accreditation of some courses of the college.
”Others they said are; lack of toilets, lack of potable water, poor sanitary environment, and bad leadership, among others.”
”The college will remain closed for three weeks to one month. Before the students return, they must come with their parents and must write an undertaking, promising to be of good behaviour.
“In this undertaking, every student must promise to pay for damaged property,” he said.
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