The Kebbi State Government has established a powerful committee to investigate the root cause of violent protest in College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega in Jaga Local Government Area of the state.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Hon. Yakubu Ahmed-BK said setting-up of 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 Collage of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega, which took place on Thursday, 17th of October.
“When it happened, the Ministry of Higher Education announced the establishment of a committee to investigate the causes of the incident.
“But 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, which now replaced the earlier established one, has two weeks to complete its assignment and report back to the executive council for submission and consideration.
Ahmed-BK noted that the committee’s terms of reference include; to investigate the main cause of the riot, to understand the role played by the actors, to quantify extent of damage, and to recommend ways to avert future recurrence.
He said the executive deemed it fit to take the action in view of 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 in order to understand what the issues are, and to holistically address them, so as 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, he said were; Deputy Accountant General of the state, Alhaji Ladan, Chairman, Governing Council of the college, Alhaji Bello Umar, while Special Adviser on Civil Service Matters, Alhaji Safiyanu Garba-Bena would serve as Secretary of the committee.
