The Senate Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Safe Schools Initiative Programme has commenced a comprehensive probe into the utilisation of funds allocated for securing schools across Nigeria, reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and improved protection for students nationwide.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, disclosed this during the investigative session in Abuja on Friday, saying the Senate was determined to establish how funds earmarked for the Safe Schools Initiative, including international grants and budgetary allocations, were managed and disbursed.
Kalu noted that while some aspects of the deliberations involved sensitive security matters, the committee’s primary objective was to ensure prudent use of public resources and strengthen the country’s school safety framework.
He commended the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, for ongoing reforms and innovations in the education sector, stressing that the committee’s constitutional oversight responsibility required a thorough examination of the implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative.
“The purpose of this engagement is to understand how these funds were spent,” Kalu said, adding that the investigation would help identify areas requiring policy and institutional reforms.
Responding, Alausa explained that most of the disbursements under review predated his assumption of office, noting that the funds were largely managed by the Federal Ministry of Finance at the time, with targeted releases made to security agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The minister disclosed that the Safe Schools Financing Unit was previously domiciled in the Ministry of Finance but has now been restructured into a full-fledged Safe Schools Department within the Federal Ministry of Education to improve coordination, implementation and oversight.
According to him, the Federal Government is adopting a more integrated approach to school safety through enhanced infrastructure, recruitment of security personnel and deployment of technology to better protect educational institutions across the country.
Alausa also emphasised the need for caution in discussing security strategies publicly, warning that sensitive information could be exploited by criminal elements targeting schools.
Also appearing before the committee, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, underscored the importance of collaboration among government institutions to ensure effective funding and implementation of the initiative.
Oyedele explained that the Ministry of Finance traditionally manages such funds in line with its statutory role as the government’s central accounting authority, adding that stronger inter-ministerial coordination would further improve the programme’s effectiveness.
The Senate committee said the investigation, anchored on its constitutional oversight powers, aim to trace financial flows, identify operational gaps and recommend reforms that will enhance transparency, accountability and the overall effectiveness of the Safe Schools Initiative.
Lawmakers also disclosed that the scope of the investigation had been expanded following preliminary findings that revealed inconsistencies in funding processes and implementation mechanisms.
The committee assured Nigerians that its findings would produce actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening school security, protecting millions of learners and restoring public confidence in the Safe Schools Initiative.
