The Socio-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP) says the “longstanding allegations of corruption and mismanagement of security votes have hugely contributed to the growing insecurity in the country, and the failure of authorities to effectively discharge their constitutional responsibility to ensure the security and welfare of their own people.”
SERAP said this on Sunday in a letter dated 1 January 2022 and signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
It said the most satisfactory and effective way to demonstrate the commitments to fight insecurity in the country is to thoroughly probe persistent allegations of corruption in the spending of security votes by state governors.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in his 2022 New Year Message had raised concern over “the persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country,” and promised to “remain resolute in our commitments” to give “utmost attention to the problem.”
SERAP, however, urged the President to demonstrate his commitment by directing the Attorney General of the Federation and appropriate anti-corruption agencies “to promptly and thoroughly investigate allegations of systemic mismanagement of security votes by state governors since 1999.”
“Probing the spending of security votes and ensuring accountability for any cases of corruption would improve the ability of your government to deliver on the promises to ensure the security of Nigerians, and to keep them safe,” the letter read:
“Ending impunity for allegations of corruption in the spending of security votes and recovering any mismanaged public funds are matters of public interest.”
According to SERAP, a recent report by Transparency International (TI), revealled that “most of the funds appropriated as security votes are spent on political activities, mismanaged or simply stolen. It is estimated that security votes add up to over N241.2 billion every year.
“On top of appropriated security votes, state governments also receive millions of dollars yearly as international security assistance.”
“Pervasive tendency by public officers to regard or treat security votes given to them for security of the state as their personal entitlement or funds is antithetical to the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] and international standards. Security votes should be used for improving the security situation in the states or returned to the public treasury.”
“Successive governments have failed to effectively discharge their primary and constitutional responsibility to protect the lives and property of the Nigerian people. This is patently contrary to Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides that: ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government’.
“Against the background of well-documented cases of abduction, killings and ongoing security challenges in several parts of the country, the time has come to end the culture of impunity for allegations of corruption and mismanagement of public funds meant to ensure the security of life and property of Nigerians.
“While sitting state governors may enjoy immunity from arrest and prosecution, they do not enjoy immunity from investigation. Any allegations of mismanagement of security votes against sitting governors can and should be investigated pending the time they leave office and lose immunity. The findings of such investigation can also be the basis for initiating impeachment proceedings against any indicted governor.”
