The Nigerian Senate has thrust the nation’s security crisis into the spotlight, compelling President Bola Tinubu to greenlight the recruitment of a staggering 100,000 military personnel.

The urgency of this recruitment plea was underscored by a shocking incident at the Government Girls’ Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, where gunmen brutally attacked the school, resulting in the tragic death of a vice principal and the abduction of 25 innocent students. 

Leading the charge during a fiery Senate plenary session was Senator Adams Oshiomhole of Edo North, who passionately advocated for not just the recruitment of more troops, but also a sweeping security audit. “We need to strengthen our armed forces!” he proclaimed, as if the fate of the nation rested solely on the shoulders of new recruits. “This is also a way to create jobs for our youth!” 

Oshiomhole didn’t shy away from targeting financial mismanagement either, questioning whether funds allocated for the Safe School Programme have turned into a cash cow for the corrupt. “Are we really prioritizing our children’s safety, or is this just another moneymaking scheme for the unscrupulous?” he demanded, calling for a Senate-led investigation that echoes a growing frustration among the populace.

In an unexpected display of bipartisanship, lawmakers rallied behind Oshiomhole, signaling a collective urgency to tackle the nation’s security crisis,not out of genuine concern, but perhaps out of fear of losing political capital. Senate President Godswill Akpabio lent his voice to the cause, urging a probe into the spending of security funds while offering hollow condolences to the victims of the Kebbi attack. “Crime is crime, regardless of the administration,” he remarked, attempting to downplay the political ramifications of the ongoing violence.

Despite Nigeria's commitment to the Safe Schools Declaration since 2015, a decade of relentless attacks on educational institutions raises more questions than answers. The declaration, which aims to protect learning environments during armed conflicts, seems to be little more than a paper tiger as violence continues unabated. UNICEF has persistently called for the full implementation of protective measures, but will this ever be realized?

In the aftermath of the Maga attack, security forces have scrambled to mount a search-and-rescue operation for the abducted students. Meanwhile, a school guard’s injury highlights the glaring gaps in security protocols,gaps that lawmakers seem all too willing to ignore as they push for more military personnel rather than addressing the root causes of insecurity.

The Senate’s discussions also brought to light Nigeria's military standing, which, according to Global Firepower’s 2022 ranking, places the country as the third most powerful military in Africa. With 135,000 active personnel and a total of 215,000 military members, one has to wonder: how much more manpower can truly make a difference when operational realities on the ground are so dire?