SERAP Sues Governors, Wike Over Security Votes Spending

By Adedapo Adesanya

The 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 security votes spending since May 29, 2023.

According to the organisation, 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.”

It asked 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.”

It noted that 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 also noted that, “Citizens’ right to know promotes openness, transparency, and accountability that is in turn crucial for the country’s democratic order.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Ms Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Mr Andrew Nwankwo, and  Ms Valentina Adegoke, read in part: “There is a significant risk of embezzlement, misappropriation or diversion of public funds collected by the states and FCT as security votes.

“Despite the billions of naira yearly budgeted as security votes, many governors and FCT ministers are grossly failing to guarantee and ensure the security and welfare of the Nigerian people, contrary to section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution.

“Directing the governors and FCT minister to account for security votes spending would serve to engage Nigerians in an honest conversation about the security problems and what the governors and minister are doing to respond to them.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.