Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has constituted a three-member committee to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the recent students’ protest at the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin.
The Governor also directed the Rector of the institution, Engr. Dr. Abdul Jimoh Mohammed, to immediately step aside from office pending the outcome of the investigation. In the interim, the most senior Deputy Rector has been asked to assume leadership of the Polytechnic.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, the investigative panel is chaired by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Senior Ibrahim Sulyman. Other members of the committee are the Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Nafisat Buge, and the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare, Dr. Mrs. Mercy Olufunke Shittu.
The committee has been given two weeks to conclude its assignment and submit a comprehensive report to the Governor. Its terms of reference include examining the remote and immediate causes of the protest and how it was handled, recommending measures to prevent a recurrence, and making broader recommendations aimed at promoting the growth and stability of the institution.
The statement added that the panel is expected to engage widely with all relevant stakeholders in the course of its assignment to ensure a fair, transparent, and all-inclusive investigation.
Governor AbdulRazaq reiterated his administration’s commitment to maintaining peace in tertiary institutions across the state while ensuring accountability, effective governance, and the protection of students’ welfare.
The outcome of the probe, the government noted, will guide necessary actions to strengthen the Polytechnic and forestall similar incidents in the future.
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