The Senate on Tuesday ordered a comprehensive investigation into the Safe School Fund following the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State.
Lawmakers questioned why repeated allocations for school security have failed to prevent recurrent attacks on educational institutions.
During plenary in Abuja, the upper chamber also urged President Bola Tinubu to approve the recruitment of at least 100,000 additional military personnel to strengthen efforts against insurgency, banditry and targeted assaults on schools nationwide.
Ad Hoc Committee to Review Programme Implementation
The Senate resolved to set up an ad hoc committee with members drawn from the Committees on Finance, Education, Defence, Army and Navy.
The committee will examine the implementation of the Safe School Programme, its funding patterns and the security gaps that left schools vulnerable.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), who led the call, said Nigeria’s security challenges required a deliberate expansion of military manpower.
Oshiomhole Questions Safe School Funding
Oshiomhole alleged that some individuals had turned insecurity into a business and demanded accountability for funds allocated to the Safe School initiative.
“I urged the President and the armed forces to recruit an additional 100,000 military personnel. It is also another way to create employment for our youths,” he said.
He added that the military must adopt modern technology and tracking devices to improve the fight against terrorism.
Akpabio Decries Overstretched Security Agencies
Senate President Godswill Akpabio noted that no country was entirely free from crime but stressed Nigeria’s obligation to reduce insecurity to its barest minimum.
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He lamented that the nation’s security agencies were overstretched, even during elections.
“We sympathise with the families of the victims, the vice-principal who was killed and the schoolchildren now in captivity,” he said before calling for a one-minute silence.
Details of the Kebbi Attack
Moving the motion, Senator Adamu Aliero Abdullahi narrated how terrorists invaded Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area.
He said 25 schoolgirls were abducted, the vice-principal was killed and the principal was injured, despite limited police presence.
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Abdullahi recalled that a similar incident occurred in Kebbi in 2022, adding that it took four years to rescue the abducted students.
“This is a wake-up call for the entire nation,” he said.
Lawmakers Raise Alarm Over Weak Defence Capacity
Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East) said the armed forces were overwhelmed, citing Nigeria’s population of over 230 million against 177,000 personnel.
“We must rethink our approach,” he said, urging communities and traditional institutions to support security agencies and expose criminals.
Senate Whip Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) condemned the abduction and called for a united response.
Senator Francis Fadahunsi (APC, Osun East) warned that kidnappings were becoming normalised due to poor coordination among security agencies, while Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong (APC, Cross River South) described the tragedy as gut-wrenching and urged clear ultimatums for security agencies.
Senate Demands Swift Rescue and Accountability
The Senate’s resolutions include:
- Immediate action to rescue the abducted girls.
- Full investigation into Safe School Programme funds.
- Strengthened collaboration among security agencies and communities.
- Clearer targets, timelines and consequences for security failures.
Lawmakers insisted that Nigeria must demonstrate its capacity to protect schoolchildren and restore public confidence in learning institutions.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
