The Kwara State Government has announced the reopening of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, with academic and administrative activities set to resume on Monday, March 2, 2026, after weeks of closure.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the institution’s Acting Registrar and signed by the Director of the Information Division, Halimat Garba. A copy was sighted by The PUNCH in Ilorin on Thursday.
According to the statement, the decision followed the approval of the Kwara State Government for the institution to resume normal operations.
“The Management of Kwara State Polytechnic wishes to formally inform the entire Polytechnic community that the Kwara State Government has approved the re-opening of the Polytechnic for academic and administrative work,” the statement read.
“In line with this directive, the Polytechnic will resume on Monday, March 2, 2026. All staff and students are therefore urged to adhere to this directive and resume at the Polytechnic promptly on the stated date.”
“The Management appreciates both staff and students for their cooperation and understanding during the period of closure and looks forward to a productive and successful completion of the first semester 2025/2026 academic session,” it added.
The PUNCH reports that the institution was shut on January 19 on the directive of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq following protests by students over the use of the campus as a temporary orientation camp for members of the National Youth Service Corps.
The closure, according to an earlier statement by the Acting Registrar, AbdulHafis Amin, became necessary after tensions escalated during demonstrations against the decision to accommodate corps members on campus while academic activities were ongoing.
“The Polytechnic had earlier been designated by the state government as a temporary NYSC orientation camp due to prevailing security challenges in the state,” the earlier statement read.
“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 rejected the decision, arguing that they had only just returned from the Christmas and New Year holidays, leading to protests on campus.
The protest later turned chaotic, with security operatives intervening to disperse the students.
“The action affected several students and staff, including the polytechnic’s Chief Security Officer, who sustained injuries,” the management had stated.
It alleged that some officers exceeded their mandate by firing tear gas canisters into parts of the campus, including hostels.
The Students’ Union Government also condemned the use of force, insisting that the protest was peaceful and driven by concerns over safety, welfare and academic disruption.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the state similarly criticised the handling of the incident and called for an independent investigation into the conduct of security operatives.
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