The Kwara State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the Kwara State College of Education, Oro, following worsening security concerns in the area.
The directive was contained in an internal memo dated January 20, 2026, issued by the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology.
The memo, signed by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo-Kawu, instructed the management of the institution to suspend academic activities with immediate effect, in line with the directive of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
According to the document, the decision followed growing insecurity around the institution and forms part of a broader state directive to close all schools within the affected local government area.
“The measure is taken in the best interest of the safety and security of staff, students and the surrounding community,” the memo stated.
It added that the closure would remain in force pending a comprehensive security review and further directives from the state government.
“You are hereby instructed to take immediate steps to direct the Management of the College to temporarily close the institution forthwith,” the memo read, mandating the school authorities to submit a report of compliance without delay.
The development comes amid heightened security challenges in parts of Kwara South and Kwara North, where communities have recorded banditry, kidnappings and other criminal activities in recent months.
The closure follows earlier precautionary steps by the state government, including the relocation of the NYSC orientation camp from Yikpata to Ilorin and the temporary shutdown of some schools in volatile areas.
However, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) criticised the decision, accusing the AbdulRazaq-led administration of “surrendering to insecurity.”
In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the PDP described the closure as an admission of failure by the government.
“The directive to shut down the College of Education, Oro, under the guise of insecurity shows that the government has no coherent strategy for tackling insecurity and has instead chosen to surrender to criminals,” the party said.
The PDP warned that the institution serves as an economic and educational backbone of Kwara South, adding that its closure would deepen hardship in the region.
“Education must not become the casualty of insecurity. A government that claims to be addressing security challenges cannot justify closing schools while markets and other public places remain open,” the statement added.
The party also accused the governor of poor leadership and absence from the state, calling on traditional rulers and stakeholders to speak out against what it described as a dangerous precedent.
“If the Governor cannot protect lives and property, then honour demands that he steps aside instead of shutting down the future of our children,” the PDP said.
The development comes days after the state government ordered the closure of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, following student protests over the institution’s use as a temporary National Youth Service Corps orientation camp.
Elijah Adeyemi
