January 19, (THEWILL) — Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Nigeria’s governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike “over their failure to account for the spending of billions of naira of public funds in the name of ‘security votes’ by them since 29 May 2023 to guarantee and ensure the security of life and property of Nigerians.”
The suit followed reports of the Benue massacre and well-documented ongoing cases of insecurity in several states and FCT, despite the over N400 billion budgeted yearly as ‘security votes.’ 10 governors reportedly budgeted about N140 billion as security votes in 2026.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/95/2026 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to “direct and compel the governors and Mr Wike to disclose the details of the spending of security votes by them since 29 May 2023 to date, which are intended to ensure the security of life and property of Nigerians.”
SERAP is also asking the court to “compel the governors and Mr Wike to provide detailed reports on the allocation and spending of security votes by their states and the FCT, including the information on implementation status and completion reports, and the plans, if any, for improving the security infrastructure in the states and FCT.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that, “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 FCT minister.”
SERAP is arguing that, “the escalating insecurity in several states and FCT is taking a devastating toll on socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians, driving up extreme poverty, intensifying hunger and leading to other grave human rights violations.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “Several state governors and the FCT Minister continue to fail to effectively discharge their primary and constitutional responsibility to protect the lives and property of the Nigerian people.”
According to SERAP, “The framers of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] never contemplated opaque spending of public funds as security votes.”
SERAP said, “The constitutional principle of democracy also provides a foundation for Nigerians’ right to know the spending details of the money collected in the name of security votes meant to ensure the security of life and property of Nigerians.”
SERAP is arguing that, “Citizens’ right to know promotes openness, transparency, and accountability that is in turn crucial for the country’s democratic order.”
The suit was filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Andrew Nwankwo, and Valentina Adegoke. No date has been fixed for the hearing.
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