The Senate, yesterday, broadened its investigation into the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI), extending the probe to key education and social intervention agencies, including the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).

The lawmakers also granted the Senate ad-hoc committee investigating the initiative an additional three weeks to conclude its assignment, saying that a wider inquiry is necessary to fully assess the management of education-related intervention funds and student welfare programmes.

The resolution followed a motion moved by the Committee Chairman, Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), under Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders 2026 (as amended).

Kalu said the committee’s preliminary findings showed that the implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative was closely linked to several agencies responsible for education financing, student support and humanitarian interventions.

According to him, investigating the programme in isolation would leave critical gaps in the Senate’s oversight function.

He said that the expanded mandate would enable the committee to produce a comprehensive report capable of strengthening accountability, improving transparency and ensuring that intervention funds achieve their intended objectives.

However, the investigation will further cover TETFund’s security and infrastructure interventions in tertiary institutions, NELFUND’s loan disbursement processes, administrative efficiency and student access framework, as well as UBEC’s interventions in the basic education sector.

Kalu said that the committee needed additional time as some critical aspects of the investigation, including planned visits to key locations, had yet to be completed.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, following a voice-vote by the lawmakers, who unanimously approved the request, granted the committee a three-week extension.