Kaduna Polytechnic is investigating the conduct of some members of its Dress Code Enforcement Committee after several students were allegedly denied entry into the institution over claims of indecent dressing.
The probe followed a viral social media video in which some female students accused officials of preventing them from attending lectures at the institution’s College of Business and Management Studies (CBMS).
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In the video, one of the students expressed frustration, saying she and several others had already been cleared by security personnel at the campus gate but were later stopped by another official who insisted their dress did not comply with the institution’s rules.
“I am fully covered; my trousers reach the ground. There is nothing wrong with what I’m wearing. Security already cleared me to enter the school, only for one man in particular to call me back,” she said.
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The student also lamented that many students had spent money on transportation to attend lectures only to be turned back over what she described as minor issues.
Management condemns extreme enforcement
Reacting to the development, the Deputy Registrar in charge of Information and Protocol, Godwin Ayegba, on Friday said the protest was triggered by what the institution described as the overzealous conduct of some members of the dress code enforcement team.
Mr Ayegba explained that although the polytechnic has a dress code to promote decency, professionalism, and a conducive academic environment, the enforcement also has approved guidelines.
“The issue was caused by some individuals who are overzealous members of the committee. They are going beyond their bounds,” he said.
“The management is addressing the issue, and it will be resolved in no time.”
In a statement issued earlier that day, the institution noted that the clothing worn by the affected students, as seen in the viral video, appeared moderate and appropriate, and stressed that they should not have been prevented from attending lectures on that basis.
“The dresses worn by the affected students appear moderate and appropriate. In view of this, the students in question ought not to have been barred from their lectures,” the statement said.
Investigation underway
The management confirmed that it had begun an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify possible lapses in enforcing the dress code policy.
According to Mr Ayegba, appropriate measures would be taken to resolve the matter swiftly and fairly, while steps would also be implemented to prevent a recurrence of what the institution described as excessive enforcement.
He reiterated that the Dress Code Committee remains responsible for ensuring compliance with the institution’s regulations, but warned that enforcement must not be arbitrary or extreme.
“The enforcement must remain within the bounds of the approved policy and must not be carried out in an extreme or arbitrary manner,” he said.
Students’ union raises concerns
The President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Ibrahim Mai Jama’a, also expressed concern over the incident.
Mr Jama’a said the union had received complaints from students and would be engaging the committee to address the concerns.
“We are very concerned about how members of this committee treat our students, and we want them to begin to treat students with dignity,” he said.
“That is why we are meeting with the committee to address the issue.”
Management not in support of incident
A senior staff member of the institution, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, told PREMIUM TIMES that the polytechnic’s management was disturbed by the incident.
“As you have heard, the investigation is ongoing, and the matter will be settled. It will not happen again.”
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Mixed reactions from students
Some students who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES said the institution’s dress code is widely known on campus, so incidents of intimidation are rare.
A female student from the Department of Architecture at the institution’s CES campus said most students comply with the rules and maintain modest dressing.
“We dress modestly, and we never had issues like that on this campus,” she said.
“Some of the dressing code enforcers can be overzealous. The management has to check them too.”
The student added that, while she supports the dress code, enforcement should not result in harassment.
“For me, I support the dress code thing, but let it not be an avenue to molest people. Some girls and even boys can dress out of context if not checked,” she said.
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