ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has instituted a legal action against state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over their alleged failure to account for billions of naira expended as security votes since May 29, 2023.
SERAP said the decision to approach the court followed persistent insecurity in several states and the FCT, despite substantial public funds allocated annually as security votes, including reported cases of mass killings in Benue State and other violent incidents across the country.
This was contained in a statement announcing the lawsuit, signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
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In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/95/2026, filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to compel the governors and the FCT minister to publicly disclose details of how security votes received since May 29, 2023, have been utilised.
The organisation is also seeking an order mandating them to submit comprehensive reports on the allocation, utilisation, implementation status, and completion of projects funded with security votes, as well as outlining plans to strengthen security infrastructure in their respective states and the FCT.
According to SERAP, more than N400bn is allocated annually as security votes nationwide, while at least 10 governors reportedly set aside about N140bn for the same purpose in the 2026 budget year.
The organisation argued that Nigerians are entitled to know how public funds earmarked for the protection of lives and property are being spent.
“Nigerians ought to know in what manner public funds, including security votes meant to ensure the security of life and property of Nigerians, are spent by the governors and the FCT minister,” the organisation said.
SERAP warned that worsening insecurity is imposing a heavy burden on vulnerable Nigerians, aggravating poverty, hunger, and human rights violations.
“The escalating insecurity in several states and the FCT is taking a devastating toll on socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians,” it said, adding that many governors and the FCT minister had failed to adequately fulfil their constitutional duty to safeguard lives and property.
The rights group maintained that the Nigerian Constitution does not support secretive spending of public funds, stressing that transparency and accountability are fundamental to democratic governance.
“The framers of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) never contemplated opaque spending of public funds as security votes,” SERAP said, noting that the public’s right to know enhances openness and strengthens democracy.
The suit, filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Andrew Nwankwo, and Valentina Adegoke, further argued that secrecy surrounding security votes heightens the risk of embezzlement and diversion of public funds.
“There is a significant risk of embezzlement, misappropriation or diversion of public funds collected by the states and FCT as security votes,” the organisation stated.
SERAP added that prolonged secrecy has weakened public oversight and accountability, enabling public officials to evade scrutiny in the management of security responsibilities.
The organisation cited a Supreme Court judgment affirming that the Freedom of Information Act applies to public records across the federation, including those relating to security votes held by states and the FCT.
“With the landmark judgment, the Supreme Court has made clear that state governors can no longer hide under their unfounded claim that the Freedom of Information Act does not apply to them,” SERAP said.
The group insisted that while certain operational details may be protected on national security grounds, there is no legal justification for withholding basic information on public expenditure.
“The failure by state governors and the FCT minister to disclose and account for the spending of security votes is a grave violation of the public trust,” SERAP said, adding that treating security votes as personal entitlement runs contrary to constitutional and international standards.
SERAP also referenced a recent World Bank classification of Nigeria as an economy in fragile and conflict-affected situations, linking rising insecurity to extreme poverty, food insecurity, and weak state capacity.
“The World Bank recently classified Nigeria as ‘economy in fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCS)’, which explains why the country continues to face severe and persistent development challenges.
“Other 38 countries classified as FCS alongside Nigeria include Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, and Sudan. The World Bank noted that insecurity is contributing to extreme poverty in Nigeria.
“According to the Bank, ‘the outlook for poverty in Nigeria is sobering. Millions of people are currently experiencing acute food insecurity. Severe gaps in education and health undermine human development in the country,” the statement partly read.
It was stated that a hearing date for the suit has not yet been fixed.