Senate Approves ₦50m for Families of Fallen Security Personnel, Slain Teachers in Oyo Rescue Mission

The Senate on Wednesday approved a ₦50 million donation to the families of three security personnel and two teachers who lost their lives during the operation that rescued abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the intervention during plenary, saying the donation was in recognition of the sacrifices made by the victims in the successful rescue mission that ended the schoolchildren’s 56-day captivity.

Akpabio recalled that the Senate had earlier commended President Bola Tinubu and the nation’s security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and the Ministry of Defence, for the successful operation.

He noted, however, that the mission claimed the lives of an Army lieutenant, a private soldier and a police sergeant, while several other security personnel sustained injuries.

The Senate President also mourned the two teachers who were killed while in captivity with the abducted pupils.

He said the Senate leadership resolved to provide financial support to the bereaved families, with each family receiving ₦10 million.

“The young Army lieutenant was just 28 years old when he died during the rescue operation. As a Senate, we have decided to support the families of the two teachers and the three security operatives who paid the ultimate price with a token of ₦10 million each,” Akpabio said.

He directed the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, and other designated senators to deliver the donations to the affected families on behalf of the upper legislative chamber.

Akpabio also urged security agencies to sustain efforts to secure the release of Nigerians still being held captive in different parts of the country.

The donation follows the successful rescue of the abducted Oyo schoolchildren, an operation widely praised but which came at the cost of the lives of security operatives and civilians involved in the ordeal.