The Senate on Wednesday inaugurated a sweeping investigation into the Safe School Initiative (SSI), raising concerns over the programme’s inability to stem persistent school attacks and mass abductions despite years of funding, donor support, and federal commitments.
Presiding over the inaugural sitting of the 18-member ad hoc committee, Chairman and former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, vowed that the Senate would uncover all issues surrounding the implementation of the initiative and ensure full transparency.
Kalu lamented that more than 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped and 180 educational facilities attacked since 2014 despite the programme’s aims.
“It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets for terrorists and kidnappers,” Kalu said.
“We will track every naira and every dollar allocated to the Safe School Initiative. Nigerians deserve to know why, despite enormous investment and global support, our schools remain unsafe.”
The committee will conduct a full financial and operational audit of the SSI, engaging federal ministries, state governments, security agencies, and civil society stakeholders.
Key focus areas include:
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Utilisation of funds allocated since 2014
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Deployment and effectiveness of school security personnel
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Early warning and emergency response systems
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Infrastructure upgrades in high-risk schools
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Partnerships with international donors and the private sector
Kalu emphasised that the investigation is aimed at ensuring accountability not targeting any individual or institution.
“This is not a witch-hunt,” he said. “We owe Nigerian parents the responsibility to guarantee that their children can pursue education without fear. We will not rest until we get answers.”
The probe followed renewed public outrage over the recent abduction of 25 female students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, where bandits also killed the school’s vice principal.
During plenary, lawmakers questioned how SSI funds had been utilised, given the continued attacks.
Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi North), who moved an urgent motion on the incident, described the attack as “a dirty slap on the face of the nation.”
“A nation that cannot secure its children is not worth living in. This is a wake-up call,” he declared.
Former Senate President and Chairman of the Committee on Defence, Dr Ahmad Lawan, also demanded a comprehensive audit.
“Since schools are still not safe for our pupils, we must investigate the funds released and how they were utilized,” Lawan said.
The ad hoc committee, constituted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, includes Senators Tony Nwoye, Yemi Adaramodu, Harry Ipalibo, Ede Dafinone, Mustapha Saliu, Diket Plang, Binus Yaroe, Kaka Shehu, and Musa Garba Maidoki, among others.
It has four weeks to submit its findings and recommendations.
The Safe School Initiative was launched in May 2014 after the Chibok schoolgirls abduction as a partnership between the Nigerian government, the UN, and private-sector donors.
Funding history:
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Initial seed funding (2014): $10 million
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Total mobilisation (2014–2021): Over $30 million
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Federal allocation (2023–2026): ₦144 billion
Despite these investments, school-targeted attacks have escalated, prompting the current probe.
Senator Kalu reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to “re-engineering” the programme.
“Our goal is simple: to make Nigerian schools safe, secure, and conducive for learning. Nothing short of genuine accountability will suffice.”
The committee’s findings are expected to significantly shape Nigeria’s future security framework for educational institutions.
