Kogi Poly Expels 150 Students for Various Offences, Sentences One to 8 Years Imprisonment

Ibrahim Oyewale

A total of 150 students have been expelled by the management of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja for various offences, while one other was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for possession of firearms.

The Rector, Dr. Salisu Usman Ogbo, who disclosed this recently, while speaking at the 28th matriculation ceremony in Lokoja, warned the new students to shun social vices that could undermine the rules and regulation of the school.

He explained that the polytechnic has zero tolerance for all forms of social vices such as cultism, gun-running, examination malpractices, drug abuse, divisive tendencies, cybercrimes, incitement, violence, gangsterism, misuse and destruction of school property, stealing and indecent dressing.

The rector appealed to the matriculants to explore and excel in any virtuous endeavour within the ambience of the institution’s value for academic excellence, creativity and self-reliance.

“You should be informed that the reformed Kogi State Polytechnic under my watch has zero tolerance for all forms of social vices. It is important to note that while noble acts attract rewards, all vices will be met with heavy and severe sanctions. You should endeavour to obtain, read and digest the revised edition of the Students’ Information Handbook that will be distributed through your respective departments. Ignorance of the law has no place in this school and will not be condoned.”

Ogbo said cultism and examination misconduct are completely forbidden on campus, adding that all the security architecture of the polytechnic placed in many strategic places have both visible and invisible preventive mechanisms to deal with cultists and examination fraudsters, their sympathizers and sponsors.

“Students are advised to stay safe and free from all cult-related lifestyles, examination misconduct and other social vices. Students are also advised to report any move intended to intimidate or lure them into cultism from any quarter to the security
“Painfully but necessarily, since we came on board, following the laid down rules and regulation as contained in the Students’ Information Handbook, we have so far expelled over 150 students on cases bordering on cultism, examination misconduct and forging of entry documents, among others as part of our aggressive campaign against rots and unethical engagements.

“Recently, with the support of the Nigerian Police and the state government in particular, we successfully secured judgement leading to the conviction and sentence of a national diploma student of Public Administration. The said student, Mr. Tenimu Muhammed was apprehended with a locally made pistol and some live ammunition while making his way to the campus to sit his final paper.

Instead of taking the path of decent life to study and graduate to become a responsible citizen, he is currently serving an eight-year prison term in addition to payment of N8,000 fine to the state government. He was specifically convicted for belonging to an unlawful society cult which he is now regretting.”

While advising the new students, the guest speaker, Mr. Bisong P. Bisong, the acting Principal Staff Officer, Operation/Intelligence, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), disclosed that about 14.3 million (20 per cent) people have substance use disorder, which affects the user’s immediate family and the society at large with grave consequences.