By Jerrywright Ukwu

The senate has expanded the mandate of its ad hoc committee investigating the safe schools initiative (SSI) to include the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), federal ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, and the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).

The upper legislative chamber also granted the committee a three-week extension to conclude its investigation.

The resolutions followed a motion sponsored by Orji Kalu, senator representing Abia north and chairman of the ad hoc committee.

‘SAFE SCHOOLS PROBE CANNOT BE DONE IN ISOLATION’

Leading the debate on Tuesday, Kalu said preliminary findings by the committee showed that the implementation and funding of the safe schools initiative are closely linked to several federal agencies responsible for education funding, student welfare and social intervention programmes.

He said investigating the initiative in isolation would produce an incomplete assessment of issues surrounding school security, educational infrastructure and intervention programmes for vulnerable learners.

“The issues surrounding student security, educational infrastructure funding and social intervention schemes for vulnerable learners across the country are deeply interwoven,” the lawmaker said.

“Investigating the safe schools initiative without reviewing these complementary bodies will result in fragmented legislative oversight.”

Kalu said expanding the committee’s mandate would enable the senate to produce a comprehensive report that strengthens accountability, safeguards students and ensures transparency in the management of intervention funds.

Under the expanded mandate, Kalu said the committee will evaluate funding flows, operational challenges and accountability mechanisms across the safe schools initiative and the affected agencies.

He added that the committee will also review social safety net allocations linked to school feeding programmes, emergency relief for displaced students and educational rehabilitation initiatives administered by the ministry of humanitarian affairs and NSIPA.

“The committee will further audit infrastructure and security intervention projects funded by TETFund, assess NELFUND’s disbursement process and operational efficiency, and examine UBEC’s interventions in basic education,” he said.

Kalu said the committee required additional time because it had yet to complete visits to some critical locations.

“We’re supposed to submit our report, and there are four key areas that were not done. I needed the permission of the Senate so that we can conclude it in the next two or three weeks and come back with a report,” he said.

Responding, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated that the ad-hoc committee ought to have submitted an interim report.

He, however, subsequently put the request to a voice vote.

Lawmakers approved the expansion of the committee’s mandate and granted it three additional weeks to conclude its assignment.

BACKGROUND

The senate inaugurated the ad hoc committee in December 2025 over recurring attacks on schools despite years of funding for the safe schools initiative.

The probe was further triggered by the abduction of 25 female students at Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi state, during which the school’s vice-principal was reportedly killed.

Launched in 2014 after the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno state, the safe schools initiative was conceived as a partnership involving the federal government, the United Nations (UN) and private sector stakeholders to strengthen security around schools, particularly in conflict-prone areas.

During earlier investigative hearings, the committee questioned the utilisation of N15 billion released for the initiative in 2023.

Source: TheCable