The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has taken state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to court over their handling of security vote funds. The case was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja following concerns that large sums of public money allocated for security have not led to better safety across the country.
The group said it decided to act because many states and the FCT continue to face serious security problems despite the huge amounts set aside each year as security votes. It pointed to repeated violent attacks, including killings in Benue State and other parts of Nigeria, as evidence that the funds are not producing results.
According to SERAP, the suit seeks an order forcing the governors and the FCT minister to make public full details of how security votes collected since May 29, 2023, have been used. The organisation also wants clear reports on how the money was shared, how projects funded with it were carried out, the current state of those projects, and whether there are plans to improve security facilities.
The rights group stated that more than ₦400 billion is set aside every year across the country as security votes. It also noted that at least ten governors planned to spend about ₦140 billion on security votes in the 2026 budget alone.
SERAP argued that citizens have a right to know how public funds meant to protect lives and property are spent. It said insecurity is worsening the condition of poor and vulnerable Nigerians, leading to more hunger, hardship, and rights violations. The group added that many state leaders and the FCT minister have not met their duty to protect residents.
The organisation maintained that the Nigerian Constitution does not support secret spending of public funds. It said open access to information on security votes would strengthen accountability and democratic governance.
SERAP further warned that keeping security vote spending hidden increases the risk of misuse and diversion of funds. It said years of secrecy have weakened public oversight and allowed officials to avoid questions about their security responsibilities.
The group also referred to a Supreme Court judgment which confirmed that the Freedom of Information Act applies to all public records across the federation, including those held by states and the FCT. It stated that this ruling means governors can no longer claim that the law does not apply to them.
While acknowledging that some security details may need protection, SERAP said there is no legal reason to hide basic records of public spending. It added that treating security votes as personal funds goes against the law and global standards.
The organisation also linked Nigeria’s growing insecurity to poverty and weak institutions, referring to a recent World Bank classification that placed Nigeria among fragile and conflict-affected countries. According to the Bank, insecurity is contributing to extreme poverty, food shortages, and poor access to education and healthcare.
SERAP noted that the court has not yet fixed a date for hearing the case.