SERAP drags Governors, Wike to Court over Security Votes Secrecy

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over their alleged failure to account for the spending of billions of naira allocated as security votes since May 29, 2023.

The suit, filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, comes against the backdrop of persistent insecurity across several states and the FCT, including the recent Benue massacre, despite more than N400 billion reportedly budgeted annually nationwide for security votes.

SERAP noted that about 10 governors alone earmarked roughly N140 billion for security votes in the 2026 fiscal year.

In the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/95/2026, SERAP is asking the court to compel the governors and the FCT minister to publicly disclose detailed records of how security votes have been spent since the start of the current administration.

The group is also seeking an order mandating the release of implementation and completion reports, as well as concrete plans for improving security infrastructure in the states and the FCT.

SERAP argued that Nigerians have a constitutional right to know how public funds, especially those earmarked for security, are utilised.

According to the organisation, the continued secrecy surrounding security votes has not translated into improved safety, but rather coincided with worsening insecurity, rising poverty, hunger and human rights abuses.

“The framers of the 1999 Constitution never contemplated opaque spending of public funds as security votes,” SERAP said, adding that democracy thrives on openness, transparency and accountability.

The group further contended that the failure of governors and the FCT minister to account for security votes violates public trust, anti-corruption laws and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.

It warned that the long-standing lack of oversight has fuelled the risk of embezzlement and abuse of office.

SERAP relied heavily on a landmark Supreme Court judgment affirming that the Freedom of Information Act applies to states and the FCT, including records on security votes, dismissing claims that such spending is exempt from public scrutiny.

The organisation also cited recent World Bank assessments classifying Nigeria as a fragile and conflict-affected state, linking insecurity to deepening poverty, food insecurity and weak service delivery.

No hearing date has yet been fixed for the case, which is expected to test the limits of secrecy surrounding security votes and reinforce demands for accountability at subnational levels of government.