The management of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, has announced the immediate expulsion of 42 students after they were found guilty of examination malpractice. The decisive action followed a thorough investigation by the institution’s Examination Malpractice Committee, which looked into various allegations of academic fraud levelled against the affected individuals.

A breakdown of the penalised academic population shows that the expulsions cut across different tiers of the polytechnic’s technical programmes. The affected group comprises 31 Higher National Diploma (HND) students and 11 National Diploma (ND) students drawn from various academic institutes and departments within the institution.

The school`s decision was made public in an official statement issued on Monday by Ibrahim Esin, the Principal Assistant Registrar of the Academic Board Matters Division. According to Esin, the management approved the severe disciplinary measure in strict accordance with the statutory provisions laid down in the Polytechnic’s Students’ Handbook.

The statement further revealed that the actions of the expelled students directly violated the sacred Matriculation Oath they took upon gaining admission. Esin emphasised that the findings of the investigative panel confirmed the infractions, which effectively brought the students` academic relationship with the polytechnic to an end.

A statistical analysis of the casualties showed that the Institute of Finance and Management Studies recorded the highest toll, accounting for 23 of the expelled students. The Institute of Technology followed with eight students, while the remaining cases were distributed across other faculties, including Information and Communication Technology, Health Technology, General Studies, and the Centre for Continuing Education.

The affected students were enrolled in a wide array of professional fields, ranging from engineering to media sciences. Some of the notable courses included Mechatronics Engineering, Civil Engineering, Journalism and Media Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration, Banking and Finance, Accountancy, and Medical Imaging Technology.

Among the high-profile HND students listed in the official circular are Rasaq Faruq Tolani, Adebiyi Eniola Kofoworola, Nzekwe Domic Chibuike, Adekunle Khalid Boluwatife, and Raji Abdulhafeez Opeyemi. The expelled ND cadre includes Ayinde Aishat, Ekunnus Fridays Sunmisola, Sanusi Fathia Ayomide, Ameenulah Idris Olamilekan, and Magnus David Pelumi, among others.

Following the termination of their studentship, the polytechnic management has directed all the affected individuals to immediately surrender all institutional property in their custody. They were ordered to hand over these items to their respective Heads of Department or other designated authorities of the institution without delay.