The Senate has expanded its investigation into the Safe Schools Initiative, extending the mandate of its ad-hoc committee by three weeks and widening the probe to include several agencies involved in education funding, student welfare and social intervention programmes.
The decision followed a motion moved by the committee chairman, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who argued that issues surrounding school safety, educational infrastructure and student support programmes are closely linked and require a broader review.
Under the expanded mandate, the committee will now examine the activities of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
Kalu told lawmakers that preliminary findings revealed significant connections between the Safe Schools Initiative and the operations of agencies responsible for educational funding, humanitarian interventions and social welfare.
He noted that restricting the investigation to the initiative alone would undermine efforts to fully assess factors affecting school security and educational support across the country.
The committee is expected to scrutinise funding allocations, implementation processes and accountability mechanisms within the affected agencies. It will also review intervention projects, student loan disbursements, school feeding programmes, emergency assistance for displaced students, and infrastructure projects aimed at improving safety in educational institutions.
Lawmakers unanimously approved the extension after Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the request to a voice vote. Kalu explained that additional time was needed to conclude outstanding aspects of the investigation and compile a comprehensive report.
The Senate inaugurated the committee in December 2025 amid growing concerns over recurring attacks on schools and questions surrounding the management of funds earmarked for the Safe Schools Initiative.
The panel has already examined billions of naira allocated to security agencies and other institutions under the programme and is expected to submit a broader assessment of education, security and humanitarian intervention spending once its work is concluded.
