The Senate on Wednesday approved a ₦50 million compensation package for the families of five individuals who died during the military operation that rescued pupils and teachers abducted from two schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The resolution provides ₦10 million for each bereaved family in honour of the victims’ sacrifice during the operation that ended the 56-day captivity of the schoolchildren and their teachers.
Announcing the intervention during plenary, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said the financial support was intended to assist the children and dependants left behind by the deceased.
“The Senate took the decision to augment the upkeep of the children left behind by the deceased. Each of the deceased families should be given ₦10 million,” Akpabio said.
The approval followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), commending President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies for the successful rescue mission.
Bamidele recalled that the abduction of more than 45 pupils and teachers on May 15 sparked nationwide outrage and underscored the growing threat of organised criminal networks to schools in the South-West.
He said President Tinubu immediately directed security agencies to deploy all lawful resources to secure the victims’ release, leading to an intelligence-driven operation on July 10 that rescued the captives, neutralised several terrorists and led to the arrest of eight suspected members of the criminal gang.
The Senate said the operation had restored public confidence in the nation’s security architecture and sent a strong message that criminal groups would not be allowed to operate with impunity.
Lawmakers also called on the relevant authorities to provide the highest level of medical care and comprehensive welfare support for Lance Corporal Adamu Hussain (16NA/75/6430) of the 81 Battalion, who sustained severe injuries while shielding the abducted children from enemy gunfire.
The upper chamber paid glowing tribute to the three soldiers who lost their lives during the operation—Lieutenant F.A. Isaac, Private Silas Musa and Sergeant Abena John Jerome—as well as the two teachers who also died in the course of the rescue mission.
On Tuesday, senators observed a minute’s silence in honour of the fallen soldiers and teachers, describing their deaths as a profound sacrifice in the nation’s fight against insecurity.
The Senate reaffirmed its commitment to supporting legislative measures aimed at strengthening national security, improving the protection of schools and vulnerable communities, and enhancing the welfare of security personnel deployed to high-risk operations.
