Senate Summons Tinubu’s Key Ministers: Finance, Education, And Defence In The Hot Seat

The Senate has ramped up its investigation into the faltering Safe School Initiative (SSI) by summoning key government officials to appear before its Ad hoc Committee.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

This move, following the adoption of the committee’s work plan on Wednesday, comes in response to the rising wave of kidnappings targeting Nigerian schoolchildren. Recent incidents, including the abduction of 25 female students in Kebbi State and over 200 students in Niger State, have sparked nationwide outrage.

The Senate Ad hoc Committee probing the initiative’s collapse, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia), has scheduled critical stakeholders to appear on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. Those summoned include: Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa; Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Mohammed Audi; and representatives of school proprietors.

Senator Kalu pledged that the committee would conduct a thorough financial and operational audit to uncover all issues surrounding the initiative’s implementation and ensure accountability. He pointed to the massive funds allocated to the SSI, which have seemingly yielded minimal results.

“We will track every naira and every dollar allocated to the Safe School Initiative, including the $30 million mobilized between 2014 and 2021, as well as the N144 billion recently released by the federal government,” Kalu said. “Nigerians deserve answers as to why, despite significant investment and global support, our schools remain unsafe. The committee will conduct a comprehensive audit, engaging federal ministries, state governments, security agencies, and civil society partners.”

Kalu also noted that, despite investments and international support, more than 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped and 180 educational facilities attacked since the SSI’s launch in 2014—an outcome he described as “unacceptable.”

The committee emphasized that the probe is not targeted at any individual but aims to strengthen transparency and accountability. Areas of focus will include:

• Fund Utilization: Tracking the use of all funds allocated since 2014.

• Security Deployment: Evaluating the deployment and effectiveness of security personnel.

• Emergency Systems: Reviewing early warning and emergency response mechanisms.

• Infrastructure: Assessing infrastructure improvements in vulnerable schools.

• Partnerships: Scrutinizing collaborations with international donors and private-sector contributors.

Other committee members include Tony Nwoye (Anambra North), Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South), Harry Ipalibo (Rivers West), Ede Dafinone (Delta Central), Mustapha Saliu Mustapha (Kwara Central), Diket Plang (Plateau Central), Binus Yaroe (Adamawa South), Kaka Shehu (Borno Central), and Musa Maidoki (Kebbi South).

The SSI was launched in May 2014 in the aftermath of the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, as a partnership between the Nigerian government, the UN, and private-sector organizations. Its goal was to secure learning environments in high-risk areas. However, reports indicate that implementation has stalled in several states over the years due to inconsistent funding and insufficient political will at the sub-national level.