The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has taken legal action against state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over what it described as their failure to account for billions of naira allocated as security votes since May 29, 2023.
The organisation said the lawsuit was triggered by worsening insecurity across several states and the FCT, despite huge public funds set aside annually for security purposes.
SERAP pointed to reports of mass killings in Benue State and other violent incidents across the country as evidence that the spending has not translated into improved safety for citizens.
In a statement issued on Sunday, January 18, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, disclosed that the suit was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to the statement, the case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/95/2026, is asking the court to compel the governors and the FCT minister to publicly disclose how security votes received since May 29, 2023, have been spent.
SERAP is also seeking an order directing them to provide detailed information on the allocation, utilisation, implementation status and completion of projects funded through security votes.
The organisation further wants the court to order the disclosure of any plans to improve security infrastructure across the states and the FCT.
SERAP stated that more than ₦400bn is budgeted every year as security votes nationwide, while at least 10 governors reportedly earmarked about ₦140bn for the same purpose in the 2026 budget year.
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In its filing, the organisation argued that Nigerians have a legal right to know how funds meant to protect lives and property are being used.
“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 rising insecurity is inflicting severe hardship on vulnerable Nigerians and 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 group maintained that the Nigerian Constitution does not support secret spending of public funds.
“The framers of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] never contemplated opaque spending of public funds as security votes,” SERAP said, stressing that the right to information strengthens democratic governance.
Filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Andrew Nwankwo and Valentina Adegoke, the suit argued that secrecy surrounding security votes increases the risk of abuse.
“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.