State governors and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike have been sued by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project(SERAP) for allegedly failing to account for billions of naira spent on security votes since May 29, 2023.
According to SERAP, the lawsuit was brought about by ongoing insecurity in a number of states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, despite significant public funding being allotted annually for security votes. There have also been reports of mass killings in Benue State and other violent incidents around the country.
This was revealed in a statement that SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, signed on Sunday regarding the case.
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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 collected since May 29, 2023, have been spent.
Along with any intentions to enhance security infrastructure in their states and the Federal Capital Territory, the group is also requesting an order requiring them to submit comprehensive reports on the distribution, use, implementation status, and completion of projects funded with security votes.
Over N400 billion is allocated each year for security votes nationwide, according to SERAP, and at least ten governors reportedly set aside roughly N140 billion for the same purpose in the 2026 budget year.
Nigerians have a right to know how public funds intended to protect lives and property are being used, according to SERAP’s lawsuit.
“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 also warned that escalating insecurity was taking a heavy toll on vulnerable Nigerians, worsening poverty, hunger and human rights abuses.
“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 effectively discharge their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.
The lawsuit, which was brought on SERAP’s behalf by lawyers Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Andrew Nwankwo, and Valentina Adegoke, claimed that the possibility of corruption and the diversion of public monies is increased when security votes are kept secret.
SERAP added that years of secrecy had compromised public accountability and supervision, enabling public officials to avoid criticism for how they handled security-related duties.
The group highlighted a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the Freedom of Information Act’s applicability to all federation-wide public records, including those pertaining to state and FCT security votes.
“There is a significant risk of embezzlement, misappropriation or diversion of public funds collected by the states and FCT as security votes,” the organisation argued.
“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 stated.
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The group maintained that while certain operational details could be protected for national security reasons, there was no legal basis for withholding basic information on public spending.
“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 was contrary to constitutional and international standards.
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