The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to set up an independent panel of inquiry to investigate how state governors have spent security votes since 2015, warning that the ongoing “national security emergency” may fail unless there is full accountability.
SERAP, in a statement on Thursday signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said despite the Federal Government’s declaration of a nationwide security emergency, state governors continue to spend billions of naira in opaque security allocations with little to show in terms of improved safety.
Citing a recent Transparency International report, the organisation said security votes across the 36 states “add up to more than N241.2 billion annually,” yet many state governments allegedly divert the funds for political activities, mismanage them or “simply steal them.”
“Probing the spending of security votes by state governors, and ensuring accountability for alleged embezzlement or diversion, would enhance the implementation of the national security emergency and strengthen the Federal Government’s capacity to protect Nigerians,” the statement added.
SERAP also noted that many states receive additional millions of dollars yearly in international security assistance, yet violence, kidnappings and communal attacks remain widespread across the country.
According to the rights group, longstanding allegations of misuse of security votes have contributed to the failure of governors to discharge their constitutional duty of ensuring the security and welfare of their citizens as provided in Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
The group criticised what it described as the “pervasive tendency of governors to treat security votes as personal entitlements,” insisting that the practice is unlawful and amounts to a violation of public trust.
While acknowledging that sitting governors enjoy immunity from prosecution, SERAP emphasised that they are not shielded from investigation.
“Any allegations of diversion or misappropriation of security votes can and should be investigated pending when governors leave office and lose immunity. The findings can also serve as a basis for impeachment where necessary,” it said.
The organisation further urged the President to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation to immediately withdraw any federal case targeting whistleblowers or activists raising issues around security vote mismanagement, including the case involving Senator Natasha Akpoti.
SERAP argued that without transparency and accountability at the state level, the Federal Government’s efforts to confront insecurity would remain ineffective.
The group insisted that the time had come for Tinubu to demand full disclosure from governors, saying Nigerians deserve to know how billions allocated to securing lives and property are being spent.
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