The Senate has directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to appear before its ad-hoc committee probing the collapse of the Safe School Initiative.
The order followed the committee’s adoption of its work plan during its inaugural meeting on Wednesday, marking the beginning of a wide-ranging investigation into the decade-long programme.
The committee, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia North, also plans to summon other key stakeholders, including the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa; the CDS; the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr Mohammed Abubakar Audi; and representatives of school proprietors.
Speaking after the first sitting, Senator Kalu vowed that the Senate would uncover all issues surrounding the implementation of the initiative, insisting that full accountability must be established. He cited the alarming history of attacks on educational institutions, noting that more than 1,680 students have been abducted and 180 schools attacked since 2014.
He described the situation as intolerable for any country committed to protecting children and investing in education. “It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets for terrorists and kidnappers,” he said, stressing the need to determine how funds allocated over the years were used.
Senator Kalu explained that the probe would include tracking every allocation made to the Safe School Initiative, including the “$30million mobilized between 2014 and 2021” as well as the recent N144 billion released by the federal government.
He said Nigerians must understand why insecurity persists within school environments despite substantial financial commitments and global assistance. The committee will conduct a full financial and operational review, engaging federal ministries, state governments, security agencies, and civil society partners to understand the gaps and failures in the system.
He emphasised that the investigation is not intended to target any specific person or institution but to strengthen transparency and safeguard children nationwide.
The areas of inquiry will focus on how funds have been used since 2014, the presence and performance of security personnel, the reliability of early warning and emergency response systems, the state of infrastructure upgrades in vulnerable schools, and the nature of partnerships with international donors and private-sector supporters.
The renewed scrutiny follows heightened public frustration after the recent kidnapping of 25 female students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, and the abduction of more than 200 students from St. Mary Catholic School in Niger State. These incidents have deepened concerns about the vulnerability of schools and the effectiveness of government interventions meant to keep children safe.
What you should know
The Senate has begun a major investigation into the failed Safe School Initiative, summoning Finance Minister Wale Edun and other top officials to account for funds spent since 2014.
With over 1,680 students kidnapped and 180 schools attacked in the last decade, the Senate says it will trace every allocation, including “$30million” raised earlier and the recent N144 billion provided by the federal government.
The probe aims to examine funding, security deployment, emergency systems, infrastructure, and partnerships as lawmakers respond to fresh outrage over mass student abductions in Kebbi and Niger states.
