By Fatima Saka
The Senate on Wednesday intensified calls for urgent action by the Federal Government and security agencies to secure the release of students, pupils, and teachers abducted in Oyo State, while rejecting a proposal seeking an audit of military spending amid rising insecurity across the country.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, who drew the attention of the upper chamber to the recent attack in which 46 persons, including schoolchildren and teachers, were abducted from schools in Oyo State.
Lawmakers urged security agencies to act swiftly to rescue the victims still held captive, while also calling on state governments to strengthen local security architecture and support federal efforts to curb kidnappings and banditry.
However, a proposal seeking a comprehensive audit of military expenditure was rejected on the floor of the Senate after it failed to receive a seconder. The motion had been raised by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who argued that the National Assembly must review past security resolutions and scrutinise the utilisation of funds allocated to the armed forces.
Oshiomhole insisted that persistent insecurity across the country made it necessary to carry out a security and spending audit to determine whether defence resources were being effectively deployed. He also referenced previous Senate resolutions, including one demanding clarification over alleged troop withdrawal during an earlier school abduction incident in Kebbi State, lamenting that such directives had not been implemented.
During the debate, several senators expressed concern over the effectiveness of security operations and called for greater accountability from security agencies. Others urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the performance of service chiefs and strengthen oversight of security spending.
The Senate also reiterated support for the expansion of the Safe Schools Initiative, calling for improved surveillance, intelligence gathering, and enhanced security deployment around vulnerable educational institutions nationwide to prevent further attacks.
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