Senate Announces ₦50 Million Compensation for Families of Oriire Kidnapping Victims

The Senate has approved a ₦50 million support package for families affected by the recent school kidnapping in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the donation during Wednesday's plenary, describing it as part of the Senate's efforts to support families who lost loved ones during the tragic incident.

According to Akpabio, the package will be shared among five families, with ₦10 million allocated to each family.

The beneficiaries include the families of three security personnel who lost their lives during the rescue operation, as well as the families of two teachers who were killed in connection with the kidnapping.

The Senate President said the intervention reflects the upper chamber's commitment to standing with victims of insecurity and those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

The support package forms part of the Senate's broader response to the Oriire abduction, as lawmakers also called for intensified efforts by security agencies to rescue other kidnapped victims still being held in different parts of the country.

During the plenary, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) raised a point of order, urging the Senate to ensure that compensation for victims of violent attacks is extended to all affected citizens without discrimination.

Ningi argued that support for victims should be holistic and inclusive, stressing that every Nigerian who suffers losses due to insecurity deserves equal consideration, regardless of their status or profession.

The senator also reiterated the need for security agencies to ensure that those arrested in connection with the Oriire kidnapping are promptly prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements.

The Oriire school abduction, which occurred in May, saw pupils and teachers from schools in the local government area kidnapped by armed assailants before they were rescued after spending several weeks in captivity during a joint security operation.