Students of Kwara State Polytechnic have renewed demands for the immediate and permanent end to the use of the institution as an NYSC orientation camp, citing months of disruption, neglect, and a violent security response to a peaceful protest.
At a press briefing in Ilorin on Thursday, the Students’ Union Government President, Comrade Maruf Ibrahim, said the situation has grown beyond administrative inconvenience into a serious welfare crisis.
“Our studies have been disrupted, our accommodation taken away, our safety threatened, and our voices ignored,” he said.
Students say the campus has been taken over due to security concerns in the state, and the decision has forced many into homelessness and uncertainty. Hostels paid for by students have been taken over, academic activities halted, and campus life suspended.
The SUG said it is not political or sponsored by any external group, but a genuine protest for student rights.
The union highlighted that the crisis began months ago, with the NYSC camp being established without consultation or planning. The SUG wrote to the polytechnic management on 8 December 2025, requesting that students’ welfare be prioritised. The union says there was no response.
A meeting on 18 January 2026 involving school management, NYSC officials, and the Ministry of Youth Development failed to address student concerns. Soon after, a memo announced a three-week holiday, forcing students to leave the campus without preparation or support.
On 19 January, students chose dialogue and calm, writing to authorities and requesting basic protections, including allowing students to remain in hostels and protecting their belongings.
When the demands were ignored, students held a peaceful protest. The SUG says security operatives responded with tear gas and armoured vehicles, injuring students and staff, and even damaging the Students’ Union building.
“This use of force against unarmed students was unnecessary and deeply painful,” Ibrahim said.
The union reiterated that students support the NYSC programme but should not be treated as criminals for demanding shelter, safety, and education.
They are now calling for the permanent end of the polytechnic’s use as an NYSC camp and for a purpose-built facility to be used instead.
