Senate Erupts Over Kebbi School Terror Attack
The Nigerian Senate descended into chaos and condemnation on Tuesday as lawmakers expressed collective fury over the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls' Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, located in Kebbi State's Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area.
According to disturbing reports, terrorists stormed the educational institution around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, unleashing violence that resulted in the death of the vice-principal and left the principal seriously wounded before making off with the students.
Lawmakers Demand Immediate Action
Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, representing Kebbi North, moved the initial motion, describing the incident as another "heinous assault" on Nigeria's education system that mirrors a similar kidnapping that occurred in Kebbi back in 2022.
"This is a slap in the face of our nation," Senator Abdullahi declared emotionally. "Parents are losing confidence in sending their children to school. What kind of nation cannot protect its children?"
The lawmaker called for an urgent rescue operation and requested a minute of silence to honor the slain vice-principal, whose dedication to education ended in tragedy.
Security Manpower Crisis Exposed
Senator Adams Oshiomhole amplified the urgency by pushing for additional measures, specifically urging President Bola Tinubu to recruit at least 100,000 new soldiers into the Nigerian Army to address what he described as grossly inadequate security coverage.
"With Nigeria's population growing at more than three percent annually, our current security manpower cannot effectively protect our territory," Oshiomhole argued, highlighting the demographic pressure compounding security challenges.
Senator Mohammed Sani Musa from Niger East provided stark numbers to support this argument, noting that with only 177,000 military personnel, it's impossible to secure every school, village, forest, and highway across Nigeria's vast landscape.
Safe School Programme Under Microscope
The Senate unanimously backed a comprehensive investigation into the Safe School Programme, with lawmakers demanding full transparency about how funds were disbursed, who received them, and what security measures were actually implemented.
"It appears some individuals have turned security into a business—benefiting from appropriations while children remain exposed to danger," Senator Oshiomhole alleged, capturing the growing suspicion surrounding the program's implementation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio threw his weight behind the probe, insisting that "Nigerians deserve full transparency" about why educational institutions remain vulnerable despite significant investments in security initiatives.
Technology-Driven Rescue Urgently Needed
Former Plateau Governor Simon Lalong emphasized the critical need for modern technology in the rescue efforts, stating that "these girls were kidnapped yesterday. They did not vanish into thin air."
Lalong pressed security agencies to immediately deploy mapping, surveillance, and real-time tracking technologies, stressing that manpower alone cannot locate the abducted students across Nigeria's extensive territory.
The senator also expressed deep concern about the repeated targeting of female students, recalling the traumatic experiences of Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu, and demanded a full review of the World Bank-funded Safe School Programme.
Broken Social Contract
Senator Mohammed Tahir Munguno from Borno North framed the abduction as a direct assault on the Nigerian state itself, arguing that "citizens surrender part of their sovereignty to government in exchange for safety. That social contract has been broken repeatedly."
This sentiment was echoed by Senator Francis Fadahunsi from Osun East, who lamented the normalization of school kidnappings and criticized security agencies for working in isolation rather than coordinating effectively.
Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong delivered perhaps the most devastating assessment, calling it "heartbreaking and gut-wrenching" that Nigeria has failed for over a decade to protect students from terrorist threats.
Concrete Senate Actions
In response to the crisis, the Senate established an ad hoc committee comprising multiple committees including Finance, Defence, Army, Air Force, Education, and Police Affairs.
This committee is mandated to investigate all appropriations and expenditures linked to the Safe School Programme and determine why educational institutions remain vulnerable despite years of substantial funding.
Former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal offered practical advice, urging states to reassess school vulnerabilities and consider relocating or merging boarding facilities for enhanced safety, as he had done during his tenure.
Security forces have already initiated search-and-rescue operations, but senators warned that without manpower expansion, accountability, and technology-driven strategies, Nigeria will continue to experience similar tragedies.
The Tuesday debate represented one of the strongest bipartisan condemnations of insecurity in recent months, with lawmakers expected to formalize resolutions urging President Tinubu to intensify rescue operations, overhaul school security nationwide, and seriously consider massive recruitment into the armed forces.
