The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, over their alleged failure to account for billions of naira spent as security votes.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/95/2026, was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
SERAP is asking the court to direct and compel the governors and the FCT minister to disclose details of security votes collected and spent since May 29, 2023, which were meant to ensure the security of lives and property of Nigerians.
The organisation is also seeking an order compelling the defendants to provide comprehensive reports on the allocation and utilisation of the funds, including implementation status, completion reports and plans, if any, to improve security infrastructure in the states and the FCT.
SERAP said the suit followed reports of a recent massacre in Benue and persistent insecurity in several states and the FCT, despite over N400 billion reportedly budgeted annually as security votes.
It added that about 10 governors reportedly budgeted approximately N140 billion as security votes in their 2026 appropriation bills.
In a statement, SERAP argued that Nigerians have a right to know how public funds, including security votes, are spent, stressing that opaque spending undermines transparency and accountability in a democratic society.
According to the organisation, the escalating insecurity across the country is worsening poverty, hunger and other human rights challenges, particularly among vulnerable populations.
SERAP further contended that the framers of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) did not envisage secretive spending of public funds under the guise of security votes.
The suit, filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Ms Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Mr Andrew Nwankwo and Ms Valentina Adegoke, alleged that there was a significant risk of embezzlement, misappropriation and diversion of security votes due to lack of transparency and oversight.
The organisation maintained that many governors and the FCT minister had failed to fulfil their constitutional obligation under Section 14(2)(b) to guarantee the security and welfare of the people.
SERAP also cited a Supreme Court judgment affirming that the Freedom of Information Act applies to public records in the federation, including those relating to security votes held by states and the FCT.
It argued that while certain operational details may remain confidential for national security reasons, there is no legal basis to conceal basic information on public spending.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.