The Kwara State Government has ordered the immediate closure of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, following a protest by students over the use of the institution as a temporary National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp—an arrangement that sparked security concerns and resulted in injuries on campus.

The directive, issued on Tuesday by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, was aimed at preventing a further breakdown of law and order and protecting lives and property within the institution. The decision was confirmed in a statement by the Acting Registrar of the Polytechnic, AbdulHafis Amin, who said tensions had escalated beyond control during the student protest.

According to Amin, the Polytechnic was designated by the state government as a temporary NYSC orientation camp due to prevailing security challenges in the state. He explained that while previous batches of corps members were accommodated during periods when students were on break or had not fully resumed, 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,” Amin stated.

However, the decision reportedly angered many students who had just resumed from the Christmas and New Year holidays. The disagreement quickly snowballed into a protest, which later attracted the attention of security operatives deployed to restore calm on campus.

The Polytechnic management disclosed that although the police were invited to maintain order, some officers allegedly exceeded their mandate by firing tear gas canisters into the campus, including student hostels. The action, according to the statement, affected several students and staff members, with the institution’s Chief Security Officer sustaining injuries.

The Students’ Union Government (SUG) strongly condemned the use of force, insisting that the protest was peaceful. In a statement signed by the SUG President, Maruf Ibrahim, popularly known as “Analysis,” the union said students were demonstrating against the conversion of their campus into an NYSC camp due to concerns over safety, welfare, and disruption of academic activities.

Eyewitnesses told The PUNCH that the situation became chaotic when security operatives allegedly fired gunshots to disperse students, triggering panic across the campus. Several students reportedly collapsed and sustained injuries, while videos circulating on social media showed a heavy security presence and students fleeing in fear.

The incident also drew sharp criticism from the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which condemned what it described as the use of excessive force on unarmed students. In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the party accused the state government of poor planning and insensitivity, stressing that students have a constitutional right to peaceful protest.

“The decision to convert an academic institution into a makeshift NYSC camp without proper consultation is reckless. It is unacceptable that students protesting peacefully were met with tear gas and live ammunition,” the statement read.

The PDP called for an independent investigation into the conduct of the police officers involved and demanded a public apology from the state government. As of the time of filing this report, the Kwara State Police Command had yet to issue an official response.

The development has intensified concerns over security management and student welfare in tertiary institutions across the state, with stakeholders urging dialogue, better planning, and sustainable solutions that safeguard academic activities while ensuring public safety.