The Senate has called on the Federal Government to urgently recruit at least 100,000 additional military personnel to strengthen the fight against insecurity across the country.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Sen. Abdulahi Yahaya on the killing of a vice principal and the abduction of 25 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Zuru Emirate, Kebbi State.
Yahaya explained that despite some level of police presence, terrorists stormed the school, killing the vice principal, injuring the principal, and abducting the schoolgirls. He described the attack as a national embarrassment, stressing that repeated assaults on schools were undermining education and discouraging parents from sending their children to school.
He noted that the tragedy mirrored a similar attack in Kebbi in 2022, where abducted students were not rescued until four years later.
Calling for urgent action, he said:
“The terrorisation of our students and educational institutions must stop immediately. I urge the Federal Government and security agencies to take immediate steps to rescue the girls and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
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Lawmakers expressed outrage, questioning whether funds allocated to securing schools under the Safe School Programme were properly utilised.
Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC–Cross River) described the incident as heartbreaking, insisting that the Senate must demand decisive action, adequate resources, and clear accountability timelines from security agencies.
Sen. Sani Musa (APC–Niger) praised the military’s efforts but noted they were overstretched, pointing out that Nigeria’s population of over 230 million is being protected by just 177,000 military personnel. He called for broader community involvement and intelligence sharing.
The Senate consequently set up an Ad Hoc Committee comprising Defence, Army, Navy, Education, and Finance Committees to investigate the implementation, funding, and failures of the Safe School Programme.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio sympathised with the victims’ families, acknowledging that security forces were overstretched but urging continued national cooperation to secure the release of the abducted students.
A minute of silence was observed in honour of the slain vice principal.
