SERAP Sues Nigerian Governors, FCT Minister Wike Over Unaccounted Security Votes

SERAP Initiates Legal Action Against Governors and FCT Minister

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has launched a legal challenge against the governors of Nigeria's 36 states and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja last Friday, January 17, 2026, seeks to compel these officials to publicly account for the expenditure of 'security votes' since May 29, 2023.

According to a statement by SERAP's Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the suit (marked FHC/ABJ/CS/95/2026) was prompted by the escalating insecurity observed across various states and the FCT, despite substantial annual allocations for security. SERAP highlighted incidents such as mass killings in Benue State and other violent occurrences nationwide as evidence of the failure to effectively utilize these funds.

The Controversy Surrounding 'Security Votes'

'Security votes' in Nigeria are a contentious issue. They are defined as opaque, corruption-prone funding mechanisms provided to certain federal, state, and local government officials, to be disbursed at their discretion. While theoretically intended for unforeseen security needs, these funds are often transacted in cash and are not subject to legislative oversight or independent audit due to their ostensibly sensitive nature.

Critics, including SERAP, argue that these votes frequently serve as 'slush funds' for corrupt officials, diverting public money that could otherwise be used to enhance security infrastructure or address other pressing societal needs. Conversely, beneficiaries often claim these funds are essential to supplement the operations of Nigeria's underfunded federal security agencies.

SERAP's Demands for Transparency and Accountability

In its lawsuit, SERAP is seeking several court orders to enforce transparency and accountability regarding security vote spending. Specifically, the organization is asking the court to:

• Compel the governors and FCT Minister Wike to publicly disclose comprehensive details of how security votes collected since May 29, 2023, have been spent.
• Direct them to provide detailed reports on the allocation, utilization, implementation status, and completion of projects funded with these security votes.
• Order the provision of any plans to improve security infrastructure within their respective states and the FCT.

SERAP emphasizes that Nigerians possess a constitutional right to know how public funds, particularly those earmarked for their safety and welfare, are being utilized. The organization's lawyers, Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Andrew Nwankwo, and Valentina Adegoke, are representing SERAP in this case.

Financial Scope and Legal Basis

The scale of security vote allocations is substantial, with over ₦400 billion reportedly budgeted annually across Nigeria. Furthermore, at least 10 governors are reported to have earmarked approximately ₦140 billion for security votes in the 2026 budget year alone.

SERAP argues that the secretive nature of security vote spending constitutes a grave violation of public trust, contravenes provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, national anti-corruption laws, and Nigeria's international human rights obligations. The organization has previously cited a Supreme Court judgment affirming the applicability of the Freedom of Information Act to public records across all levels of government, including those pertaining to security votes, thereby dismissing claims of exemption from public scrutiny.