Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Prof. Salisu Ogbo Usman, says the management’s bold and audacious reforms in the last four years has helped in reshaping the institution.
Prof Usman made this known on Tuesday in Lokoja during a press briefing marking the end of his first tenure in office as Rector of the institution.
He said his administration inherited an institution where cultists reigned supreme and operated as demi-gods on campus.
He added that the polytechnic had no functional student hotels, notorious for untidy physical environment with dilapidated infrastructures when he came on board.
According to him, these and many other threatening social vices caused the Polytechnic to battle deeply disturbing image issues.
He noted that between May 2020 and January 2025, his administration successfully averted 170 security threats through an intelligent security network in the polytechnic.
He said hidden CCTV cameras were installed within and around strategic places to monitor unholy activities of secret cult members and other criminal elements.
He said the installation of CCTV cameras has also been extended to classrooms, lecture theatres and other areas in the campus .
Prof Usman said the measures had helped in curbing activities of cultists and reduce the incident of examination malpractice in the institution.
He explained that steps were also taken to restore the integrity and prestige of diplomas and other certificates being awarded by the polytechnic.
According to him, this was achieved by strengthening the culture of academic excellence and improvement of the quality of academic services in the school.
As part of quality assurance and academic development initiated by him, he said the notorious syndicate known as “Magic Centre” located at Sarkin Noma area of Lokoja where students and non- students were arrested while writing examinations with the polytechnic’s question papers and booklets was busted.
He said a new statement of result templated with complex security features was also introduced during his first term in office.
Aside this, he said E – Examination Result Computation was introduced while a Central Examination Misconduct Committee was also set up.
The Rector said these measures have further bolstered the authenticity and integrity of the academic credentials and boost confidence and integrity in the conduct of examinations and result processing of the polytechnic.
He said all the new 18 academic programmes introduced by the school during his first term tenure as Rector gained full accreditation by December 2024.
With this development, Prof Usman said all the 57 programmes offered by the polytechnic are now 100 per cent fully accredited.
“The implication of the foregoing is that the Kigi State Polytechnic as it stands today, dies not have programme with denied and or interim accreditation status,” he said.
Reflecting on the significant strides made during his first tenure, Prof. Usman said his “3R mission – Repair, Reform and Restore” yielded positive results in the areas of academic growth, infrastructure development, and enhanced security.
Despite facing challenges such as inadequate ICT resources, weak research culture, insecurity, and the prevalence of social vices like cultism, Prof. Usman explained the audacious reforms turned the institution’s fortunes around.
“Before our administration, some individuals would go to nearby cybercafés to print fake statements of result. We also discovered some bad eggs in the system running National Diploma and Higher National Diploma programmes concurrently. This is the height of criminality in our educational system,” he said.
The Rector further stated that his administration banned the sale of textbooks on campus, adding that some lecturers were forcing students to buy their text materials as a prerequisite to passing examinations.
“Some lecturers were making the sale of textbooks compulsory for our students. I have copies of petitions sent to the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) against the extortion of students by some lecturers under the guise of selling textbooks.
“When you make the purchase of textbooks a precondition for students to pass examinations, it discourages them from reading. This can lead to insecurity and tribal conflicts in the school. We have been able to sanitise the system by eradicating this practice on campus.”
he reaffirmed his dedication to improving the welfare of students and staff as well as promoting academic excellence as he begins his second tenure.
Prof. Usman was appointed as the substantive Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic on 12 February 2021 by the administration of former Governor Yahaya Bello. He was reappointed in June 2024 by Kogi State Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, with the new term taking effect from 12 February 2025.
