The Senate has raised concerns over the utilization of funds released to agencies implementing the Safe Schools Initiative, SSI, particularly the Nigerian Police Force, which received the largest single allocation of 6.225 billion naira from the 15 billion naira disbursed in 2023.
The concerns were disclosed by Uzor Kalu, chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee investigating the implementation of the programme, following the committee’s grilling of the National Coordinator, Financing Safe Schools in Nigeria, Halima Iliya.
The committee queried reports of financial irregularities and questionable consultancy spending in the multi-agency security programme designed to protect schools from terrorist attacks and mass abductions.
Kalu ordered a full reconciliation of all financial records and directed the Safe Schools Financing Office to return with a comprehensive and rectified breakdown of all funds released, expenditures made, names and details of contractors, and complete documentation from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Trust Fund account. He stressed that the committee would not proceed without clear and verifiable records.