The Kwara State College of Education, Oro, in Irepodun Local Government Area, has reopened for academic and administrative activities following improved security conditions in the area.
The reopening was confirmed in an internal memorandum issued on Monday and sighted by The PUNCH.
The memo, referenced CEO/ADMIN/27/Vol.1/268 and dated February 2, 2026, was signed by the Deputy Registrar, Information, Protocol and Publicity, Mrs Lawal Taibat Saka-Bolanta, and issued from the office of the Registrar.
Addressed to staff and students, the memorandum announced that the institution had resumed with immediate effect.
“In line with the directive of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, I write to inform staff and students of the re-opening of the college with immediate effect,” the memo read.
It added that academic and administrative activities would commence immediately, while the management expressed appreciation to the state government, the Ministry of Tertiary Education and other stakeholders for their support.
The development followed an earlier announcement by the Kwara State Government that schools across the state would reopen from Monday, February 2, after months of closure due to security challenges.
The decision was contained in a statement issued by the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Mr Peter Amogbonjaye, quoting the Commissioner for Education, Dr Lawal Olohungbebe.
According to the statement, school authorities across the state had been notified of the reopening.
“The government deems the situation now to be a lot better than it was before. Even so, we continue to maintain vigilance,” the commissioner was quoted as saying.
He added that security operations were ongoing to sustain recent gains, while efforts were also being made to strengthen community resilience alongside kinetic operations by security agencies.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Kwara State College of Education, Oro, was closed a few weeks ago following security threats in the area, forcing students to vacate the campus and disrupting academic activities.
The closure raised concerns among parents, education stakeholders and residents over the safety of students and staff.
The reopening also comes months after the state government ordered the closure of primary and secondary schools across Kwara State in November 2025, following escalating insecurity, particularly in border and forested communities affected by banditry and kidnapping.
At the time, the government said the decision was a precautionary measure to protect learners, teachers and other education workers.
However, the state government has maintained that sustained military and security operations in recent weeks have led to the neutralisation of several criminal elements and the restoration of relative calm in previously affected areas.
Security agencies are said to be maintaining a strong presence in vulnerable communities, with intensified intelligence gathering and community engagement to prevent a resurgence of criminal activities.
The government has urged parents, teachers and school administrators to cooperate with security agencies and remain vigilant, assuring residents that adequate measures have been put in place to guarantee the safety of students and education workers across the state.
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