The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Action is over their alleged failure to publicly account for billions of naira spent from security vote funds since May 29, 2023.
Filed last Friday and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/95/2026, the lawsuit seeks a court order compelling the governors and Mr Wike to disclose detailed information on how security votes funds allocated to states and the FCT ostensibly for internal security, have been used.
According to SERAP, insecurity remains widespread across several states and the FCT despite over ₦400 billion annually budgeted for security votes, with at least 10 governors reportedly earmarking about ₦140 billion for security in the 2026 budget.
In a statement, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said Nigerians have a constitutional right to know how public funds intended to protect lives and property are being spent.
The rights group argues that the secrecy around security votes has contributed to persistent insecurity, rising poverty, hunger and human rights abuses across parts of the country.
SERAP is also asking the court to compel the governors and the FCT minister to provide detailed reports on allocations, utilisation, project implementation and plans to improve security infrastructure in their jurisdictions.
The rights organisation asserts that treating security votes as opaque funds undermines democratic transparency, breaches public trust, and may increase the risk of embezzlement or diversion of public resources.
It contends that the Nigerian Constitution and democratic principles do not support secretive public spending, and that citizens’ right to information is essential for accountability.
SERAP’s legal team argues that a recent Supreme Court ruling affirms the applicability of the Freedom of Information Act to all public records, including security vote spending.
