Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, has suspended a lecturer following the circulation of a video on social media showing him physically assaulting candidates of the Interim Joint Matriculation Board programme on the institution's premises. The management announced the suspension on Monday, stating that the lecturer had been relieved of his duties pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident.

A statement issued by the institution's Public Relations Officer, Halimat Garba, clarified that the individuals seen in the footage were not registered students of the polytechnic. "The Management wishes to clarify that the students depicted in the video are not Polytechnic students but rather IJMB (Interim Joint Matriculation Board) candidates who arrived late for their ongoing examinations," the statement read.

The video, which spread rapidly across social media on Monday, showed the lecturer caning several candidates who were kneeling with their hands raised, taking turns to receive strokes of the cane on their palms. The footage drew swift condemnation from Nigerians who questioned the use of corporal punishment in a tertiary institution setting.

The National Association of Nigerian Students President, Akinteye Babatunde, was among those who responded strongly to the incident. "A lecturer in Kwara State Polytechnic asked IJMB students to kneel, and he beat them up with a cane. Such an act is condemnable. Students are not animals and should never be treated as such. There are different ways to punish erring students, not beating them up," he wrote.

Babatunde further called on the polytechnic management to investigate the matter and impose appropriate sanctions. "As much as students must never assault lecturers or act rudely to them, lecturers also don't have the right to assault students. I hereby call on the Kwara State Polytechnic management to investigate this issue, and sanctions should be made where necessary," he added.

The management acknowledged that the motive behind the lecturer's conduct had not yet been established but was unequivocal in its rejection of the method used. "While the intention for which the action was done is not yet known, we must emphasize that the approach taken was wholly inappropriate, as the Polytechnic stands firmly against any form of violence or physical punishment as a means of discipline," the statement disclosed.

The institution reaffirmed its commitment to a respectful learning environment and assured the public that steps would be taken to prevent a recurrence. "We believe that education should be rooted in respect, understanding, and constructive guidance, and that there are far more effective and humane ways to instill important values in students," the statement added.