Banditry: Kwara closes schools in four Local Governments

The Kwara State Government, on Wednesday, directed the closure of schools across four Local government areas amid escalating insecurity in the affected communities.

The government’s decision was disclosed by the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Kwara State Wing, on Wednesday.
In a circular issued on Wednesday and obtained by The PUNCH, the NUT Chairman, Yusuf Agboola, announced the shutdown of schools in Isin, Irepodun, Ifelodun, and Ekiti LGAs.

Agboola explained that the union was acting strictly on instructions from the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development after the government raised concerns over fresh security threats in Kwara South.

“Comrade chairmen, this is to inform you and through you, all schools in the above local governments of the instruction to close down all schools with immediate effect until further notice,” the circular read.

“This decision was occasioned by the security challenges ravaging the area and the efforts of the government to control the situation. Treat this information as important and with the urgency it deserves, as it emanated from the ministry.”

He assured school heads and teachers that further directives would be communicated as the situation evolves.

On Wednesday, Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, also announced plans to seek the establishment of a Forward Operating Base of the Nigerian Army and a Mobile Police Squadron in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area, following Tuesday night’s deadly bandit attack on a church in the community, which left three worshippers dead and over 35 abducted.