The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has placed the Rector of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Dr Abdul Jimoh Mohammed, on indefinite suspension following student protests over the use of the institution as a temporary National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp, which resulted in a security breach, injuries, and disorder on campus.
To prevent a leadership vacuum, the governor directed the most senior Deputy Rector to act in his place on an interim basis.
In addition, the governor has inaugurated a three-member panel to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the student protest within the institution.
The committee is chaired by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ibrahim Sulyman, while other members include the Commissioner for Environment, Nafisat Buge, and the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare, Dr Olufunke Shittu.
The governor gave the directive on Wednesday, barely 24 hours after shutting the school to prevent any further breakdown of law and order in the state.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, the governor stressed that the committee has two weeks to submit its report on the protest.
According to the statement, the committee’s terms of reference are to examine the remote and immediate causes of the protest and its handling; recommend measures to prevent a recurrence; and make additional recommendations on the development of the school.
“The committee will engage with all relevant stakeholders on its assignment”.
Earlier, the school closure statement read, “The Polytechnic had earlier been designated by the state government as a temporary NYSC orientation camp due to prevailing security challenges in the state.
“While previous batches of corps members were accommodated during periods when students were on break or yet to fully resume, the current orientation exercise coincided with full academic activities.
“To ensure a smooth NYSC orientation exercise and prevent any breakdown of law and order, the management granted students a three-week break effective Monday, January 19, 2026.”
However, some students reportedly opposed the decision, saying they had just resumed from the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The protest later escalated, prompting the intervention of security operatives.
The management disclosed that while police were invited to restore order, some officers allegedly exceeded their mandate by firing tear gas canisters into the campus, including student hostels.
“The action affected several students and staff, including the polytechnic’s Chief Security Officer, who sustained injuries,” the statement added.
