Nigeria Senate Extends Probe into Safe Schools Initiative Funding

Nigeria's Senate has broadened the investigation into the Safe Schools Initiative and granted the ad‑hoc committee a three‑week extension to complete its work. The motion, moved by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, expands the probe to include the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and the National School Infrastructure Programme (NSIPA). Lawmakers are seeking to trace the flow of more than N15 billion (about $30 million) allocated for school security measures such as cameras, alarms and perimeter fencing, after reports that many schools remain vulnerable. The committee will audit financial disbursements, operational bottlenecks and accountability structures across the newly added agencies, aiming to identify why the funds have not resulted in adequate safety infrastructure.