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 Kwara State 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 shut down all academic activities with immediate effect, in line with the directive of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the state governor.
According to the document, the decision was taken in response to rising insecurity around the institution and formed part of a broader government order 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 read.
It added that the closure would remain in force pending a comprehensive security review and further instructions 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 stated.
The college authorities were also directed to submit a report of compliance to the ministry without delay.
The development comes amid heightened security challenges across parts of Kwara South and Kwara North, where communities have recorded cases of banditry, kidnappings and other criminal activities in recent months.
The closure follows similar precautionary measures by the state government, including the relocation of the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp from Yikpata to Ilorin and the temporary shutdown of schools in volatile areas.
However, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the state criticised the decision, accusing the AbdulRazaq administration of “surrendering to insecurity.”
In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the party described the closure as an admission of failure.
“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 PDP said.
The party argued that the institution serves as an economic and educational backbone for Kwara South and warned that its closure would worsen 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 PDP also accused the governor of poor leadership and absence from the state, urging traditional rulers and other 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 party said.
The latest closure comes days after the state government ordered the shutdown of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, following student protests over the institution’s use as a temporary NYSC orientation camp.