Kwara Government Approves Reopening of State Polytechnic Following NYSC Camp Dispute

Academic and administrative activities will resume at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, on Monday, 2 March 2026, following approval from the state government to reopen the institution after weeks of closure sparked by a dispute over the use of the campus as a temporary National Youth Service Corps orientation camp.

The announcement was made in a statement issued by the institution's Acting Registrar and signed by the Director of the Information Division, Halimat Garba. A copy of the statement was obtained by The PUNCH in Ilorin on Thursday.

The statement informed the polytechnic community that the Kwara State Government had given approval 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 reopening of the Polytechnic for academic and administrative work," it 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," the statement added.

The polytechnic was closed on 19 January following a directive by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, after students staged protests over the decision to accommodate NYSC members on campus while academic activities were in full swing.

An earlier statement by the Acting Registrar, AbdulHafis Amin, explained that the campus had been designated as a temporary NYSC orientation camp due to security challenges in the state. While previous batches of corps members had been accommodated during periods when students were on break or had not yet fully resumed, the orientation exercise for the current batch coincided with active academic sessions.

"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," the statement noted.

However, some students rejected the arrangement, arguing that they had only just returned from the Christmas and New Year holidays, and proceeded to stage protests on campus, which led to the eventual closure.

With the resumption date now set, both staff and students are expected to return to campus to conclude the first semester of the 2025/2026 academic session.