Orji Kalu, chairman of the Senate ad hoc committee set up to look into the Safe School Initiative
The Senate’s decision to launch a full-scale investigation into the Safe School Initiative (SSI) comes at a time when Nigerian families are living in fear. In a bid to confront the rising wave of school attacks, lawmakers have finally taken a bold step, many experts say, that is long overdue. With more than 1,680 children kidnapped and over 180 schools attacked since 2014, the Senate’s move is, without doubt, a necessary intervention to protect the future of the nation.
Security analysts argue that the SSI, launched with so much optimism after the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, never fully lived up to its promise. Despite raising more than $30 million and budgeting ₦144 billion for 2023-2026, many schools—especially in northern Nigeria—still lack protective fences, guards, early warning systems, and basic emergency response plans. What experts describe as “the infrastructure of safety” remains painfully absent in many communities.
This is why Senator Uzor Kalu’s insistence that every naira and every dollar must be accounted for strikes a powerful chord. For years, civil society groups and education advocates have asked tough questions about how SSI funds were spent, who implemented the projects, and why schoolchildren remain easy targets. The Senate, in a bid to restore public confidence, now has an opportunity to set a new benchmark for transparency and accountability.
Nevertheless, this probe must not stop at checking financial records. Security stakeholders say there must be an honest review of how federal agencies, state governments, police units, and local communities work together. Many school attacks succeed because intelligence systems are weak, response times are slow, and schools lack even the simplest protective structures.
The Senate also sent a strong message during the screening of Defence Minister–designate General Christopher Musa. By rejecting the usual “bow and go” practice, Senate President Godswill Akpabio reminded the nation that Nigerian children are still in captivity. He underlined the seriousness of the country’s security challenges with an emotional question, “Where are the children?” (in reference to the children that were captured by bandits who attacked schools in the North recently). This question captured the urgency of the moment and the seriousness of the national security crisis.
For the Senate investigation to be considered a success, lawmakers must push for a full public audit of SSI spending to rebuild trust. The investigative panel must also emphasise the need for mandatory safety standards for all schools, improved community-based intelligence, and real accountability for any failures in school protection. Stronger laws that classify kidnapping as terrorism will further support security agencies in their operations.
If the Senate handles this investigation with sincerity and firmness, it could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s long struggle to protect its children. Schools must once again become safe havens, not the hunting grounds of criminals.
Leave feedback about this