Kwara state government yesterday announced the immediate closure of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, following a protest by aggrieved students of the institution over alleged shooting of one of their mates by a police officer on Monday.
It would be recalled that an officer attached to a bullion van on Monday shot one Ahmed Adewale, a year-two student of the Accounting Department on his way to school, while attempting to shoot at taxi's tyre.
Announcing the closure, Commissioner for Tertiary Institution, Alhaji Idrish Ladan, said the school would remain shut until peace returns.
Earlier on yesterday, the students had converged at Sango and, Elekoyangan areas, as well as Unity and Taiwo to protest the shooting.
All commercial activities along the area were paralyzed as traders and banks closed shops.
While appealing to students to remain calm, the Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) at the Kwara state Command, DSP Olufemi Fabode, said that the victim was still alive, stressing that the suspected officer was being held.
He noted that the action of the police officer was unprofessional stressing that the Commissioner of Police had visited the victim at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).
Meanwhile, the government appealed to the protesting students of to remain calm and avoid any action capable of disrupting peace and order in the state.
The protesters who occupied some major streets on Tuesday also burnt down patrol van of Police in retaliation to one of their colleague who was shot by happy trigger Police officer on Monday on his way to school.
Government in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Sola Isiaka Gold, described as unfortunate the reported injury of a student by men of the Nigeria Police and called on the students to maintain the peace and not to allow miscreants to hijack their peaceful protests.
Gold assured the students that the police had commenced disciplinary proceedings against the police officer.
He urged parents not to allow their wards to be used for any acts of criminality.
He asked the students to return to their various homes pending the re-opening of polytechnic.
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