The Kwara State Government has ordered the immediate suspension of academic activities at the Kwara State College of Education, Oro, citing escalating security threats in the area.
The directive was conveyed through an internal memo dated January 20, 2026, issued by the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology. The memo, signed by the Commissioner, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo-Kawu, instructed the management of the institution to comply with the closure order approved by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The action was prompted by increasing insecurity around the institution and forms part of a wider government directive affecting schools within the local government area.
“The decision is in the interest of safeguarding students, staff and residents of the host community,” the memo stated.
It added that the closure would remain in effect pending the outcome of a detailed security assessment and further instructions from the state government.
The institution’s management was directed to implement the order immediately and submit a compliance report to the ministry.
The development comes amid rising security challenges in parts of Kwara South and Kwara North, where incidents of kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities have been reported in recent months.
The state government has previously taken similar precautionary steps, including relocating the NYSC orientation camp from Yikpata to Ilorin and temporarily shutting down schools in areas considered volatile.
Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the decision, describing it as evidence of the state government’s inability to tackle insecurity.
In a statement issued by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the PDP accused the AbdulRazaq administration of capitulating to criminal elements.
“The closure of the College of Education, Oro, under the pretext of insecurity amounts to an admission of failure and a lack of clear strategy to confront the security situation,” the party said.
The PDP warned that the shutdown would negatively impact education and economic activities in Kwara South, where the institution plays a vital role.
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“Education should not be the price paid for insecurity. It is contradictory for schools to be closed while other public spaces continue to operate,” the statement added.
The party also criticised the governor’s leadership, urging traditional rulers and stakeholders to intervene and resist what it described as a dangerous policy direction.
The development follows an earlier decision by the Kwara State Government to shut the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, after protests by students over the temporary use of the campus as an NYSC orientation camp.
