The Senate has summoned the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun and the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, to appear before its Ad hoc Committee investigating the Safe School Initiative (SSI).
The summons was issued on Wednesday during the committee’s inaugural meeting, chaired by Senator Orji Kalu, where members adopted their work plan.
The committee also plans to summon the Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Mohammed Audi and representatives of school proprietors.
Senator Kalu said the Senate would investigate issues surrounding the initiative’s implementation and ensure accountability.
He noted that more than 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped and 180 educational facilities attacked since 2014.
“It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets for terrorists and kidnappers,” he said.
Kalu added that the committee would audit every fund allocated to the initiative.
“We will track every naira and every dollar allocated to the Safe School Initiative, some of which were the $30 million mobilised between 2014 and 2021, aside the latest N144 billion released for the initiative by the federal government,” he said.
The committee will engage federal ministries, state governments, security agencies and civil society partners in a financial and operational audit.
The Safe School Initiative, launched in 2014 after the Chibok abduction, is a federal programme aimed at protecting students and schools from attacks and kidnappings.
A National Safe School Secretariat under the Ministry of Finance coordinates planning, financing, monitoring and execution.
A technical working group made up of ministries, security agencies, state and local representatives and other stakeholders handles implementation.
In December 2022, the government announced an investment of N144.8 billion for the 2023–2026 period, with annual allocations of N32.58 billion in 2023, N36.98 billion in 2024, N37.15 billion in 2025 and N38.03 billion in 2026.
In 2023, N15 billion was released to support the first phase covering 18 high-risk states and 48 schools, with plans to expand coverage in subsequent years.
Recent attacks on schools have drawn fresh concern.
In November, gunmen abducted 303 pupils and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State.
Days earlier, attackers kidnapped 25 students at Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State and killed the school’s vice principal.
According to Save the Children International, between April 2014 and December 2022, at least 70 attacks on schools resulted in 1,683 students abducted, more than 180 children killed, 90 injured, over 90 missing and 60 staff members kidnapped, 14 of whom were killed.
Twenty-five school buildings were reportedly destroyed.
Since January 2024, at least 10 attacks have affected more than 670 children.
The Senate committee is expected to question officials on funding, implementation and security measures for the Safe School Initiative.
