Kebbi State Government has established a powerful committee to investigate the root cause of violent protests in the College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega in the Jaga Local Government Area.
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Hon. Yakubu Ahmed-BK said the committee became imperative in view of the gravity of the ugly development.
He said: “At the end of the Executive Council Meeting, one key decision that was taken and worthy of publicity, has to do with disturbances at the College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega, which took place on Thursday, 17th October 2024.
“When it happened, the Ministry of Higher Education announced the establishment of a committee to investigate the causes of the incident.
“But the council, at the end of its meeting, considered the disturbances to be very serious. Moreso, it’s happening for the first time in the life of this administration and for that reason, it was decided that a more powerful eight-member committee be established.”
The Commissioner said the committee replaced the earlier established one and has two weeks to complete its assignment and report to the executive council for submission and consideration.
Ahmed-BK noted that the committee’s terms of reference include; investigating the main cause of the riot, understanding the role played by the actors, quantifying the extent of damage, and recommending ways to avert future recurrence.
He said the executive deemed it fit to take action given the number of allegations prior to the riot and soon after it by several stakeholders, students themselves, and other interested parties.
“Government intended to go deep into the causes to understand what the issues are, and to holistically address them, to ensure justice, deal with the extent of culpability and to advised appropriately,” he noted.
He said the committee would be chaired by the Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Ibrahim Musa-Tungulawa, with the following members; Commissioner for Information and Culture, Hon Yakubu Ahmed-BK, and Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Nura Fingila.
Others are the Deputy Accountant General of the state, Alhaji Ladan, Chairman of the Governing Council of the college, Bello Umar, while Special Adviser on Civil Service Matters, Safiyanu Garba-Bena would serve as Secretary of the committee.
