The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken legal action against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and several Nigerian governors over their alleged failure to properly account for the spending of billions of naira in security votes.
SERAP said the lawsuit is coming at a time when Nigeria is facing serious security challenges, including the recent Benue massacre and ongoing cases of insecurity in many states and the FCT. This is despite the fact that over ₦400 billion is budgeted every year as security votes across the country. Reports also show that 10 governors alone budgeted about ₦140 billion as security votes for 2026.
The suit, filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja under number FHC/ABJ/CS/95/2026, is asking the court to compel the governors and the FCT minister to publicly explain how security votes have been spent from May 29, 2023, to date. According to SERAP, these funds are meant to protect lives and property, yet insecurity continues to worsen.
SERAP is also demanding that the court order the governors and Mr Wike to provide detailed reports on how the security votes were allocated and used. This includes information on project implementation, completion status, and any plans in place to improve security infrastructure in their states and the FCT.
In its argument, SERAP stated that Nigerians have a right to know how public funds, especially security votes, are being spent. The organisation stressed that secrecy around these funds is unacceptable given the level of insecurity facing the country.
SERAP further warned that rising insecurity is having a serious impact on vulnerable Nigerians, pushing more people into extreme poverty, increasing hunger, and leading to other serious human rights violations.
The group insists that transparency and accountability in the use of security votes are necessary steps toward addressing Nigeria’s growing security crisis.
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