The Kwara state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, ordered the immediate closure of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, following a protest by students over the use of the institution as a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp.
In a statement, the acting registrar of Kwara polytechnic, AbdulHafis Amin, explained that the state government had designated the institution as a temporary NYSC orientation camp due to prevailing security challenges.
The statement noted that previous NYSC camps were held when students were either on break or had not yet fully resumed classes.
For the current exercise, however, students were fully in session, prompting management to grant a temporary break to prevent security risks.
Following the escalation of protests, governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq ordered the closure of the polytechnic as a precautionary measure.
Management called on students, staff, and stakeholders to remain calm and cooperate with authorities, assuring that efforts are underway to resolve the situation peacefully and promptly.
It was gathered that the protest erupted over a disagreement between students and the school management on the continued use of the institution as a temporary NYSC orientation camp.
The polytechnic management had earlier announced a three-week break for students, effective Monday, January 19, to allow for the smooth conduct of the NYSC orientation exercise and to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
However, some students reportedly opposed the decision, arguing that they had just resumed from the Christmas and New Year break.
The situation escalated, leading to tension that necessitated police intervention.
Officers were initially deployed to disperse the protesting students at the institution’s main gate.
Unfortunately, the situation worsened when some police officers allegedly fired tear gas canisters into the polytechnic premises, including student hostels.
The action affected several students and staff members, with the polytechnic’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) reportedly sustaining injuries.
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