Leadnaija
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the 36 state governors to publicly account for how they spent security vote allocations since May 29, 2023.
Calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe the expenditure, the organisation decried what it called the continued failure of many governors to use public funds to improve security despite receiving billions of naira under the guise of security votes.
In a press statement dated Saturday, June 28, 2025, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the group also called on the governors to allow the anti-graft agencies to track and monitor the disbursement of the funds.
It warned that secrecy surrounding the use of security votes has fuelled corruption and weakened the ability of citizens to hold their leaders accountable.
SERAP noted that governors can no longer claim immunity from scrutiny under the Freedom of Information Act, citing a recent Supreme Court judgment that confirmed the law’s applicability to all levels of government.
The group added that a failure by any governor to comply with its request within seven days would result in legal action aimed at compelling transparency.
It also cited a World Bank report that classifies Nigeria as an economy facing fragile and conflict-affected situations, stating that insecurity continues to drive extreme poverty and deteriorating human development indicators.
“In the wake of the Benue massacre and well-documented ongoing cases of insecurity in several states, there is a legitimate public interest for governors to account for how they spend security votes.
“Despite the billions of naira yearly budgeted as security votes, many governors are grossly failing to guarantee and ensure the security and welfare of the people in their states, contrary to section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution.
“The Supreme Court has made clear that state governors can no longer hide under their unfounded claim that the Freedom of Information Act does not apply to them.
“The judgment sends a powerful message that state governors can no longer escape accountability for how they spend security votes.
“Disclosing details of spending public funds as security votes by your state would serve to engage the Nigerian people in an honest conversation about the security problems in several states and what the governors are doing to respond to them.”
