Legislature
Senate Widens Safe Schools Probe, Targets TETFund, NELFUND, UBEC
The Senate has expanded the scope of its investigation into the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI) Programme, extending the mandate of its Ad-hoc Committee by three weeks to conclude its assignment.
The decision followed a motion moved by the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), in line with Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders, 2026 (as amended). He sought an extension of the committee’s timeline and an expansion of its terms of reference to ensure a more comprehensive investigation.
Presenting the motion, Senator Kalu explained that preliminary findings revealed strong links between the implementation and funding of the Safe Schools Initiative and several federal agencies responsible for education funding, student welfare, humanitarian interventions and social investment programmes. He said investigating the initiative alone would leave major gaps in assessing school security, educational infrastructure and intervention programmes for vulnerable learners.
According to him, issues relating to student safety, educational infrastructure funding and social intervention programmes are closely connected, making it necessary to examine the roles of the affected agencies. He stressed that broadening the investigation would enable the Senate to produce a comprehensive report capable of strengthening accountability, improving transparency and safeguarding Nigerian students.
Under the expanded mandate, the committee will review financial flows, operational challenges and accountability systems across the Safe Schools Initiative and the additional agencies. It will also examine school feeding allocations, emergency relief support for displaced students and educational rehabilitation programmes managed by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and NSIPA.
The committee is also expected to audit infrastructure and security intervention projects funded by TETFund, assess NELFUND’s loan disbursement processes, operational readiness and student access framework, while reviewing UBEC’s interventions in basic education nationwide.
Seeking the Senate’s approval, Senator Kalu said the committee had been unable to complete visits to key locations due to time constraints and other legislative responsibilities. He requested an additional two to three weeks to conclude the outstanding aspects of the investigation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio subsequently sought the opinion of lawmakers, and following overwhelming support through a voice vote, the Senate approved a three-week extension for the committee.
The Senate inaugurated the Safe Schools Initiative investigation in December last year following growing concerns over repeated attacks on schools despite years of funding and policy interventions. The probe gained further urgency after the abduction of 25 female students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State, during which the school’s Vice Principal was reportedly killed by bandits.
The Safe Schools Initiative was established in May 2014 after the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State. It was designed as a partnership involving the Federal Government, the United Nations and private sector stakeholders to strengthen security around schools, particularly in conflict-affected communities.
The ongoing investigation has already raised concerns over the management of funds allocated to the programme. During one of its hearings, the committee questioned the disbursement of ₦15 billion released in 2023, with the Nigerian Police Force receiving ₦6.225 billion, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) ₦3.362 billion, Defence Headquarters ₦2.250 billion and the Federal Ministry of Education ₦519 million. The amount allocated to the Department of State Services (DSS) was not disclosed during the hearing.
The committee also queried alleged financial irregularities and consultancy expenditures linked to the programme. It directed the Safe Schools Financing Office to provide a reconciled breakdown of all funds released, expenditures made, names of contractors and supporting documents relating to the Central Bank of Nigeria Trust Fund account.
The National Coordinator of Financing Safe Schools in Nigeria, Hajia Halima Iliya, informed the committee that the initiative had received support from both local and international partners. These include $10 million each from the Federal Government and Nigerian business leaders, $1 million from the African Development Bank, €2 million from the German Government, $4 million from the Norwegian Government managed through UNICEF, as well as additional assistance from USAID, the Qatar Foundation and United Nations agencies.
With the expanded mandate, the Senate Ad-hoc Committee is expected to provide a more comprehensive assessment of how education and humanitarian intervention funds are managed across relevant institutions and determine whether existing programmes are effectively addressing the safety, welfare and educational needs of Nigerian students.
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