The Kwara State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the Kwara State College of Education, Oro, citing rising insecurity in the area.

An internal memo dated January 20, 2026, and signed by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo-Kawu, directed the management of the institution to halt academic activities with immediate effect, following Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s instructions.

According to the memo, the measure is part of broader efforts to safeguard students, staff, and the surrounding communities from the escalating cases of banditry, kidnapping, and other criminal activities reported in the area.

“The closure will remain in effect pending a comprehensive security review and further directives from the state government,” the memo stated. The school management has been ordered to submit a compliance report to the ministry without delay.

This latest action comes after the state government temporarily closed other schools in volatile local government areas and relocated the NYSC orientation camp from Yikpata to Ilorin as part of precautionary security measures.

However, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the government’s decision. In a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the party described the closure as “an admission of failure” and accused the administration of “surrendering to criminals.”

The PDP further warned that shutting down the institution, a key economic and educational hub in Kwara South, would worsen hardship in the region. “Education must not become the casualty of insecurity. Closing schools while markets and other public spaces remain open shows lack of strategy and poor leadership,” the statement read.

This development follows a similar directive to close the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, earlier this week, after protests erupted over the temporary use of the institution as an NYSC orientation camp.