LunagisthubSERAP Takes Governors and FCT Minister to Court Over Security Votes Transparency
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Nigeria’s 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over their alleged failure to account for billions of naira spent on security votes .
SERAP claims that despite the huge sums allocated for security votes, many Nigerians are still grappling with insecurity, poverty, and human rights abuses. The organization is seeking a court order compelling the governors and the FCT minister to disclose details of their spending on security votes since May 29, 2023 .
The lawsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/95/2026, seeks to compel the governors and the FCT minister to:
– Disclose the details of the spending of security votes by them since May 29, 2023
– Provide detailed reports on the allocation and spending of security votes, including implementation status and completion reports
– Reveal plans, if any, for improving security infrastructure in their states and the FCT .
SERAP argues that Nigerians have a constitutional right to know how public funds, including security votes, are spent. The organization claims that the lack of transparency in security votes spending has contributed to large-scale stealing of public funds and weakened citizens’ ability to hold public officials accountable .
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