The Kwara State Government has announced the reopening of schools across the state from Monday, following what it described as a significant improvement in the security situation amid sustained operations by security forces against bandits and other criminal elements.
The decision was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Peter Amogbonjaye, quoting the Commissioner for Education, Lawal Olohungbebe.
According to the statement, school authorities across the state have been formally notified of the development.
“The government deems the situation now to be a lot better than it was before. Even so, we continue to maintain vigilance.
“Security operations are ongoing to sustain recent gains, and efforts are also being made to strengthen community resilience alongside kinetic operations by security agencies,” the statement read.
The reopening comes months after the state government ordered the closure of schools in November 2025 following escalating security concerns in parts of Kwara, particularly in border communities and forested areas, where incidents of banditry and kidnapping were reported.
At the time, the government said the decision to shut schools was taken as a precautionary measure to protect students, teachers and school workers amid fears of possible attacks on educational institutions.
PUNCH Online had reported that the security situation worsened late last year, prompting heightened deployment of troops and joint security operations across affected local government areas.
Only a few weeks ago, PUNCH Online also reported the closure of the Kwara State College of Education, Oro, following security threats in the area, a development that forced students to vacate the campus and disrupted academic activities.
The closure of the College of Education further raised concerns among parents, education stakeholders and residents about the safety of schools in the state.
However, the state government said sustained military and security operations in recent weeks had 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, while intelligence gathering and community engagement have been intensified to prevent a resurgence of attacks.
The government urged parents, teachers and school administrators to cooperate with security agencies and remain vigilant, assuring residents that measures had been put in place to ensure the safety of learners and education workers across the state.
