Residents across Kwara South have staged a massive protest over what they describe as a sustained “bandits siege,” as fresh investigative findings by The Nigeria Education News reveal a deepening humanitarian and educational crisis just days before schools are scheduled to resume on Monday, April 27, 2026.
The investigation shows that more than 23 communities across parts of Kwara State have been forcefully emptied following repeated attacks by armed groups, leaving thousands of families displaced and entire settlements deserted.
At the heart of the unfolding crisis is the direct impact on primary and secondary school children, many of whom are now unable to return to school as planned. With just two days to resumption, affected communities have no functioning schools, no teachers on ground, and no guarantee of safety for returning pupils.
Field reports gathered from local sources in Ifelodun, Irepodun, Oyun, and Patigi local government areas indicate that several public schools have been abandoned, with classrooms left locked or vandalised. In some cases, learning materials and infrastructure have been destroyed or looted during attacks.
Parents who spoke with correspondents expressed grave concern over the safety of their children, stating that sending them back to school under the current conditions would be “risking their lives.”
“We cannot send our children to school when we ourselves are running for safety,” one displaced resident said. “Even the teachers have fled.”
The protest, which drew youths, farmers, and community leaders, highlighted the scale of disruption to daily life. Demonstrators carried placards condemning insecurity and calling for urgent government intervention, insisting that economic activities, particularly farming, have collapsed under the weight of constant attacks.
Investigations further traced the escalation of violence to earlier incidents, including the February 2026 attacks on Woro and Nuku villages in Kaiama Local Government Area, where over 160 residents were reportedly killed after refusing to comply with demands imposed by armed groups.
Since then, attacks have spread across multiple communities, with reports of night raids, kidnappings, killings, and destruction of homes. Areas such as Omugo in Ifelodun LGA have become nearly deserted, while similar patterns have emerged in other parts of Kwara South and Kwara North.
Education stakeholders from Kwara State warn that the timing of the crisis could have long-term consequences on school attendance and learning outcomes. With resumption imminent, thousands of children risk missing the start of the academic term, potentially widening the already alarming out-of-school population in Nigeria.
An education expert from Ilorin, Dr. Ibrahim Amole notes that prolonged displacement often leads to school dropouts, child labour, and early marriages, particularly in rural communities where education access is already fragile.
Community leaders have accused authorities of inadequate response, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, and Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to urgently deploy more security personnel to restore order.
Although security operations have reportedly led to the neutralisation of some bandits, residents insist that the interventions have not been sufficient to stop recurring attacks or guarantee safe return to their homes.
The Nigeria Education News findings indicate that unless urgent measures are taken, the planned April 27 resumption may be largely symbolic in affected areas, as displaced families remain in camps or with relatives in safer locations.
As the situation unfolds, education authorities face a difficult question: how to ensure continuity of learning in communities where schools exist only on paper, and fear has replaced normal life.
For now, in many parts of Kwara South, the sound of school bells expected on Monday may be replaced by silence.
