28th May, 2013
Stephen Oni/Ilorin
There were indications that the much awaited 29 May Democracy Day marking the second anniversary of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of the Nigerian central state of Kwara in office may not hold owing to the chaotic in the state.
This was sequel to the continued protest of the students of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, over the shooting of one of their colleagues, Ahmed Dayo, by the police in a bullion van belonging to one of the first generation banks, leading to his hospitalization at the University of Ilorin teaching hospital. In the ensuing melee, the escort van of Governor Ahmed heading to the venue of a road project within Ilorin metropolis which was to be commissioned by the Governor was set ablaze by the aggrieved students. Based on security report, the Governor could not make it to the venue of the commissioning, leading to the cancellation of the programme. 
P.M. News correspondent who also witnessed the incident as it happened gathered that activities in most part of Ilorin metropolis were completely paralyzed as the students effectively took over the major roads.
At the venue of the road project commissioning in Kulende area -Royal Valley estate, Ilorin, people in their thousands waiting for the Governor to arrive took to their heels running helter-skelter on hearing that the Governor’s escort van was attacked. Some of the people interviewed by our correspondent said that they may not be physically present at the Democracy Day celebration even if it holds due to the break-down of law and order.
Meanwhile, the state government has announced the closure of the Kwara State Polytechnic indefinitely. This was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education in the state, Alhaji Aliyu Laade stating that the closure was to ensure the restoration of law and order in the state and curb further damages by the students. In the same vein, the Spokesperson of the Police, DSP Olufemi Fabode, has appealed to the aggrieved students not to take laws into their hands stressing that the culprit has since been arrested and is currently in the police custody.