Senate Demands Release of Oyo Abduction Victims, Rejects Military Spending Audit

The Senate has called on the Federal Government and security agencies to take urgent action to secure the release of victims still in captivity after the abduction of 46 students, teachers, and pupils from schools in Oyo State. The demand came during the adoption of a motion on the incident, which described the attack as a threat to national safety and education. Senator Adams Oshiomhole proposed an audit of military spending during the debate, citing concerns over the effectiveness of past security resolutions and the need for accountability in the use of defence funds. He questioned whether previous allocations to the armed forces had yielded tangible results and stressed Parliament's oversight role in reviewing military expenditures.

Oshiomhole argued that without a security and spending audit, it was impossible to determine if resources were being properly deployed. He referenced a similar school abduction in Kebbi State earlier in the year, where the state government claimed military personnel were withdrawn before the attack. The Senate had passed a resolution demanding the military identify the officer who ordered the withdrawal, but no action has been taken, he said. Despite his push, the proposal for a military audit did not receive a second and was not carried forward. Some senators urged state governments to bolster local security, while Senator Musa called on the President to hold service chiefs accountable for the use of security funds. The Senate also recommended expanding the Safe Schools Initiative through better surveillance, intelligence, and security presence around vulnerable educational institutions.

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