The Kwara State Polytechnic School in Ilorin, including student union activities and the names of the student union executive (1994-March 1998) [NGA32918.E]

According to the World of Learning, the Kwaka State Polytechnic School was founded in 1972 and has about 12 000 students and 650 teachers (1999, 1108).

No mention of any Kwara State Polytechnic School student union between 1994 and March 1998 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, various sources refer to a March 1998 protest march by students of the Kwara State Polytechnic School over the increasing scarcity of fuel in the Ilorin state capital (Post Express 14 Mar. 1998; ibid. 13 Mar. 1998; IFEX 17 Mar. 1998; Nigeria Media Monitor 16 Mar. 1998). According to a 14 Mar. 1998 Post Express article, student were "possibly backed by their colleagues" from the University of Ilorin. Some 39 students were arrested and held by the police (Post Express 14 Mar. 1998; ibid. 13 Mar. 1998). Reactions to those arrests came from Femi Adetola and Yemi Ayeni respectively, president and general secretary of the Student Union Government of the University of Ilorin, in a press release in which students decried the arrests of their compatriots and demanded their immediate release (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (IFEX's partner in Nigeria). 17 March 1998. " Journalist Severely Beaten." http://ifex.org/alert/00002902.htm. [Accessed 4 Sept. 1998].

Nigeria Media Monitor. 16 March 1998. "Police Assault TN Journalist." http://www.derechos.net/ijc/monitor/0311.html. [Accessed 4 Sept. 1999].

Post Express [Lagos]. 14 March 1998. Tunde Sanni. "Admnistrator Summons Rector." http://www.postexpresswired.com/po...41359852565c9000fd854?OpenDocument. [Accessed 4 Sept. 1999].

_____. 13 March 1998. Tunde Sanni. "Kwara Poly Students Protest Fuel Crisis, Call for Etete's Removal." http://www.postexpresswired.com/po...31971852565c6000ad3fe?OpenDocument. [Accessed 4 Sept. 1999].

The World of Learning 1999. 1999. 49th. Edition. London: Europa Publications.

Additional Sources Consulted


Africa Confidential [London]. Jan.1994-April.1998.

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. Jan. 1994-January 1998.

Amnesty International. Yearly. 1995-1999.

Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights. 1995.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Yearly. 1995-1999.

Human Rights Watch World Report. Yearly. 1995-1999.

Jeune Afrique [Paris]. 1994-March 1998.

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. 1994- April 1998.

New African [London]. 1994-April 1998.

Le Nouvel Afrique-Asie [Paris]. 1994-April 1998.

West Africa [London]. 1994-March 1998.

Electronic sources: IRB databases, LEXIS/NEXIS, World News Connection (WNC), Internet searches, including Nigerian and regional media news.

Unsuccessful attempts to reach Nigerian Human Rights organizations have been made.