Senate has intensified calls for urgent intervention by the Federal Government and security agencies to secure the release of students, pupils and teachers still being held captive following the recent abduction of schoolchildren and education workers in Oyo State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, who drew the attention of lawmakers to the attack in which 46 persons, including students and teachers, were reportedly abducted.
Despite widespread concerns over rising insecurity, banditry, kidnapping and insurgency, the upper chamber declined a proposal seeking an audit of military spending and security operations.
The proposal was put forward by Senator Adams Oshiomhole during deliberations on the motion.
Oshiomhole argued that the National Assembly had a responsibility to assess the implementation of previous security-related resolutions and scrutinise the utilisation of funds allocated to the armed forces.
“It doesn’t appear to me that we have carried out an audit of resolutions passed in the past. What actions have been taken?” he asked.
“If the armed forces are not accountable and if we don’t carry out oversight of military resources, then we are failing in our responsibility.”
The former Edo State governor maintained that a comprehensive review of security operations and defence spending was necessary to determine whether resources appropriated for national security were being effectively deployed.
“We need to carry out a security audit. We are entitled to get feedback on the monies appropriated. Until such an audit is conducted, we may not know whether the resources provided are being optimally deployed,” he said.
However, the proposal failed to progress after it was not seconded by any senator.
During the debate, lawmakers urged state governments to strengthen local security arrangements and support ongoing federal efforts to combat insecurity.
Several senators also called on President Bola Tinubu to demand greater accountability from service chiefs, expressing concern over the effectiveness of security spending amid continued attacks across the country.
Oshiomhole cited a similar school abduction in Kebbi State earlier this year, where the state government alleged that military personnel were withdrawn from the area shortly before the attack occurred.
He recalled that the Senate had previously directed military authorities to identify the officer responsible for ordering the withdrawal but lamented that the resolution had not been implemented.
“We passed a resolution asking the military to produce the name of the officer who gave the order. To date, no action has been taken,” he said.
As part of its resolutions, the Senate urged the Federal Government to strengthen and expand the Safe Schools Initiative through improved surveillance, intelligence gathering and enhanced security deployment around vulnerable schools and communities nationwide.
Lawmakers stressed that protecting educational institutions remains critical to safeguarding the future of Nigerian children and restoring public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
