The Alumni Association of the Kwara State Polytechnic Worldwide, along with other stakeholders of the state government-owned institution, have requested every property owner or private developer on the institution’s land to contact the state Geographic Information Science (GIS) to ascertain the status of their property.

The stakeholders’ meeting, called to address the encroachment on the polytechnic’s land, was attended by the management of the polytechnic, traditional institutions, Kwara State Geographic Information Science, Students Union Government (SUG), media executives, and the host, the alumni association of the institution.

According to the communiqué issued at the end of the stakeholders’ meeting and tour of the encroached land of the institution at Oke Aponle, Ara, Gatta, Boyi, Oke Ose, Akuro, Rector’s Quarters, proposed Polytechnic Farm, etc., on Thursday, the people stated that the land was legally acquired and compensation was paid to the original landowners.

The communique, signed by the Chairman of the communique drafting committee, James Ogunlakin, stated that if the record of any property owner was not with the Kwara state GIS, it means they do not have any property on the land.

They also called for a peaceful resolution of the matter, emphasizing that a peaceful approach to the matter could not be overemphasised.

The communique also stated that no piece of the polytechnic land is available for sale between the polytechnic land and Dangiwa community in Oke Ose area.

It further stated: “All ongoing private construction works on the polytechnic land should be stopped henceforth.”

In his address at the stakeholders’ meeting on the Kwara State Polytechnic land encroachment matter held at the Admiral Mohammed Alabi Lawal auditorium, Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, the protem president of the Kwara State Polytechnic Worldwide Alumni, Engineer Abu Salami, said that upon examining the two different definitions of encroachment and land grabbing, it became evident that “the groups opposing our alma mater (Kwara State Polytechnic) have transitioned from land encroachment to land grabbing.

“At this point, we believe they are willing to use all means, including threats, terrorism, sponsored court cases, and blackmailing, to seize the land they do not own.

“We challenge any of the claimants to provide any document authorising the construction of any structures on the disputed land for which the Kwara State Government has already compensated the original owners, and we are prepared to present evidence.

“We, the alumni and students of this peace-loving and prestigious citadel of learning, who have been quietly observing the unfolding scenario between these encroachers and our Polytechnic management, are now saying enough is enough as far as this daylight robbery is concerned.”

The protem president of the alumni association, while acknowledging that the problem is part of what communities face worldwide regarding land matters, stated, “In this case, the Kwara State Government, the legal owner of the school, and the Ilorin Emirate, the traditional aborigines through whom the land was originally acquired, have not shown the political will to resolve the matter.

“Hence, part of the reason we are organising this forum is to urge the three arms of government in Kwara State, through our current Executive Governor, the Ilorin community, the apex Ilorin Socio-Cultural and Sociopolitical Organisation (Ilorin Emirates Descendants Progressive Union), to initiate the process of legally taking possession of its property and officially handing its ownership over to Kwara State Polytechnic, thereby allowing peace to reign within the Polytechnic environment.”