The management of Kaduna Polytechnic has launched an investigation into an incident in which several students were reportedly prevented from attending lectures over dress code violations at the institution’s College of Business and Management Studies, following viral videos showing students protesting the action.
In one of the widely circulated videos, a female student expressed frustration after she and others were stopped from entering the school premises despite what they described as modest dressing.
The student said she could not understand why officials barred them from classes after security personnel had initially allowed them into the campus.
“I am fully covered, my trousers reach the ground. There is nothing wrong with what I’m wearing,” she said in the video, adding that “security already cleared me to enter inside the school, only for me to enter, and one man in particular called me back.
She also complained that several students had spent money on transportation to attend lectures but were turned away over what she described as minor issues.
“See, people are standing outside. People wasted transport to come to school, and you are sending them back for very useless things,” she said.
The student further alleged that some students were denied entry because the sleeves of their clothing were considered too short, even though their bodies were properly covered.
“Tell me why you say that this lady cannot enter because the hand of her shirt is short. Her breast is not showing, her clothes are to the ground and you are saying the hand is short,” she said, while showing other students waiting outside the gate.
She insisted that she paid school fees to attend lectures and should not be denied access to what she described as unreasonable enforcement of dress rules.
“I did not pay school fees for this rubbish,” she said, adding that asking students to remove nail polish or change their clothing before attending lectures was excessive.
“I am sorry, I am not in primary school. If I were in primary school or secondary school, I would understand. I am not in primary school,” she said.
The student also claimed that the enforcement had been ongoing for about one or two weeks, calling on the institution’s management to intervene.
“I want to assume that the management of KADPOLY does not know that this is what their committee or whatever is doing. They should call them to order. They are being extreme,” she said.
Reacting to the incident, the management of Kaduna Polytechnic said it had taken note of the viral video and clarified that the students’ outfits, as seen in the footage, appeared moderate and appropriate.
In a press release issued on Thursday and signed by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Protocol, Mr Godwin B. Ayegba, the institution stated that the affected students should not have been barred from attending their lectures on the basis of their dressing.
“The dresses worn by the affected students, as shown in the viral video, appear moderate and appropriate. In view of this, the students in question ought not to have been barred from their lectures on this basis,” the statement said.
The management explained that the institution maintains a dress code policy designed to promote decency, professionalism and a conducive learning environment.
However, it stressed that enforcement of the policy must follow the approved guidelines and should not be carried out in an extreme or arbitrary manner.
“The Dress Code Committee is mandated to enforce this policy in line with the established guidelines and regulations of the institution. However, enforcement must remain within the bounds of the approved policy and must not be carried out in an extreme or arbitrary manner,” the statement added.
According to the Polytechnic, an investigation has already been initiated to determine what transpired and identify any lapses in the implementation of the dress code policy.
“The management has immediately initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident to ascertain the facts and determine any lapses in the application of the policy,” Ayegba said.
He added that appropriate measures would be taken to resolve the matter fairly and prevent a recurrence of what the institution described as “overzealous enforcement.”
The polytechnic also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining discipline on campus while ensuring that students’ access to education is not hindered.
It urged students with complaints to channel their concerns through official institutional platforms rather than social media.
“Kaduna Polytechnic remains dedicated to fostering a disciplined, respectful and academically focused campus environment for the benefit of all stakeholders,” the statement added.
