The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken legal action against state governors across Nigeria and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over their alleged failure to provide transparency on the use of security votes running into hundreds of billions of naira since May 29, 2023.
SERAP explained that the lawsuit was necessitated by the worsening security situation in several parts of the country and the FCT, despite the massive sums allocated annually for security spending. The organisation cited repeated incidents of violent attacks, including mass killings in Benue State and other regions, as evidence that public funds earmarked for security have not yielded the expected outcomes.
The development was disclosed in a statement released on Sunday and made available to *PUNCH Online*, signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/95/2026, was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja. In it, SERAP is asking the court to compel the state governors and the FCT minister to publicly reveal how security votes received from May 29, 2023, to date have been spent.
The organisation is also requesting an order directing the defendants to submit comprehensive reports detailing the distribution, utilisation and implementation of projects funded through security votes, as well as information on completed initiatives and future plans aimed at strengthening security infrastructure within their respective jurisdictions.
According to SERAP, more than ₦400 billion is allocated yearly to security votes nationwide, with reports indicating that at least 10 state governors proposed spending about ₦140 billion on security votes alone in the 2026 budget cycle.
In its court filings, SERAP maintained that citizens are entitled to know how public resources meant to safeguard lives and property are managed.
“Nigerians deserve to be informed about how public funds, including security votes intended to protect lives and property, are utilised by state governors and the FCT minister,” the group stated.
The organisation warned that the growing insecurity across the country is disproportionately affecting poor and vulnerable populations, intensifying poverty, hunger and human rights violations.
SERAP argued that many state governors and the FCT minister have not adequately fulfilled their constitutional obligation to ensure the safety of citizens, noting that the persistent violence reflects systemic failures in governance and accountability.
It further contended that the Nigerian Constitution does not permit the secretive management of public funds, stressing that openness and accountability are fundamental pillars of democracy.
According to SERAP, the drafters of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) did not envisage a system in which security votes are spent without public oversight, adding that access to information is essential for promoting transparency and strengthening democratic institutions.
The lawsuit was filed on SERAP’s behalf by its legal team, comprising Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Andrew Nwankwo and Valentina Adegoke. The organisation argued that the lack of transparency surrounding security votes creates significant risks of corruption, misappropriation and diversion of public funds.
SERAP noted that years of secrecy have weakened public accountability mechanisms and allowed public officials to avoid scrutiny over their management of security-related resources.
The group also referenced a landmark Supreme Court ruling affirming that the Freedom of Information Act applies to public records across all levels of government, including documents related to security votes held by states and the FCT.
With this judgment, SERAP said, state governors can no longer rely on claims that the Freedom of Information Act does not apply to them.
While acknowledging that certain sensitive operational details may legitimately be withheld for security reasons, the organisation maintained that there is no lawful justification for refusing to disclose basic information on how public funds are spent.
SERAP described the continued failure to account for security votes as a serious breach of public trust, adding that treating such funds as personal entitlements runs contrary to constitutional provisions and international best practices.
The group also cited a recent World Bank report classifying Nigeria as a fragile and conflict-affected state, linking widespread insecurity to deepening poverty, food shortages and weak institutional capacity.
According to the World Bank, Nigeria’s poverty outlook remains grim, with millions facing acute food insecurity and severe deficiencies in education and healthcare undermining human development.
SERAP added that no date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the case.
