Kwara Poly Students Demand End to Campus Use as NYSC Camp

Students of Kwara State Polytechnic are calling for an immediate end to the use of their campus as a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp, citing severe disruptions to academic life and a violent response to a recent peaceful protest.

Addressing a press conference in Ilorin on Thursday, the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Comrade Maruf Ibrahim, stated that the situation has escalated into a welfare and safety crisis.

He explained that student hostels were taken over, academic and sports activities halted, and many were left without shelter after being compelled to vacate the campus.

The SUG traced the issue back several months, noting repeated attempts to engage management and authorities through letters and meetings, which they claim were ignored.

A peaceful protest organized by students last week was met with a forceful security response, including tear gas and the forceful evacuation of hostels, resulting in injuries.

“Students did not choose violence. Students chose dialogue. Students chose peace,” Ibrahim stated, insisting their protest was not politically motivated but a plea for welfare and their right to education.

The union is now demanding the permanent discontinuation of the campus’s use as an NYSC camp and has called for urgent intervention from key national institutions, including the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the NYSC, and security agencies, to prevent further escalation.

“We remain open to dialogue. We remain committed to peace. But we will not be silent while student welfare is trampled,” Ibrahim concluded.