Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq on Tuesday ordered the closure of the State Polytechnic in Ilorin, following a breach of law and order.
The breech followed the temporary relocation of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, from the Yikpata orientation camp to the Polytechnic campus due to security concerns.
According to a statement by the Acting Registrar of the institution, Abdulhafiz Amin, issued in Ilorin on Tuesday, the governor directed the closure to ensure the safety of lives and property within the Polytechnic community.
Recall that the state government had earlier designated Kwara State Polytechnic as the temporary orientation camp for the NYSC due to prevailing security challenges in the state.
The management of the Polytechnic explained that, “During the first camp exercise, students were on break, and during the second, students had not fully resumed. However, for the current exercise, students are fully in session.
“To manage the situation and prevent any breach of law and order, the management granted students a three-week break effective Monday, January 19, 2026, to facilitate the successful conduct of the NYSC orientation camp.
“Regrettably, some students reacted negatively to this directive on the grounds that they had just resumed from the Christmas/New Year break. This resulted in tension that necessitated police intervention.
“The police were initially tasked with dispersing the crowd at the Polytechnic’s main gate. Unfortunately, some officers went beyond their mandate by throwing tear gas canisters into the Polytechnic premises, including student hostels.
“This action adversely affected several students and staff, including the Polytechnic’s Chief Security Officer, who sustained injuries.
“Consequently, the Executive Governor of the State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has directed the closure of the Polytechnic to ensure the safety of lives and property of the entire Polytechnic community,” the statement added.
The management therefore called on all students, staff and stakeholders to remain calm and cooperative as it continues to engage relevant authorities to resolve the matter amicably and swiftly.
