The Kwara State government has ordered the immediate closure of schools across five Local Government Areas (LGAs) following the surge in banditry and mass abductions over the last 48 hours.
The directive, issued on Thursday, aims to safeguard students as security forces launch counter-operations against armed groups that have killed at least five people and abducted dozens in separate attacks this week.
The indefinite closure affects all schools, including boarding institutions, in Ifelodun, Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin, and Oke Ero Local Government Areas. Authorities took this drastic step following intelligence that fleeing bandits might attempt to infiltrate schools and use students as human shields to evade military pursuit.
The security situation in the state deteriorated rapidly this week. On Wednesday, armed assailants struck the Bokungi community in Edu Local Government Area, killing two rice farmers and leaving a vigilante member with fatal injuries. This violence occurred less than 24 hours after the attack on a church in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area, where bandits opened fire on worshippers, killing two and abducting approximately 30 people.
Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, the Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly but was necessary to preempt any copycat attacks similar to those seen in other northern states.
This decision shows our determination to curtail the activities of kidnappers who may want to use schoolchildren as human shields from renewed security crackdowns. These measures cover boarding schools in Irepodun and will remain in place while we await further security clearance for normal activities to resume
Meanwhile, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information, addressed the growing unease, linking the Kwara incidents to Monday’s abduction of 25 students in Kebbi State.
President Bola Tinubu has placed the country’s security architecture on its highest alert. We are taking these threats seriously and mobilizing all necessary resources to restore order
For now, classrooms in the affected districts will remain close until security agencies can guarantee the safety of students and staff. The state government has deployed additional security personnel to the vulnerable corridors connecting these LGAs, hoping to flush out the criminal elements before schools can safely reopen. Parents are advised to keep their children at home and remain vigilant as operations continue.
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