N525bn security votes under scrutiny as leaders demand accountability
Fresh concerns over the accountability of Nigeria’s security architecture have emerged on Thursday as top political leaders and governance experts questioned the utilisation of over N525 billion in security votes received by state governors between 2023 and 2025 without public audit or legislative scrutiny.
The concern was raised at the 2026 edition of Platform Nigeria held in Lagos, where former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Minister of Defence Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), and former Lagos governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) called for urgent reforms in policing, intelligence gathering and democratic accountability ahead of the 2027 general elections warning that rising insecurity, weak institutions and declining voter confidence now pose serious threats to Nigeria’s democratic stability.
During the event Former Senate President Saraki noted that Nigeria’s accountability crisis remains tied to weak institutions and an electoral system that fails to make public office holders answerable to citizens.
“A legislature that cannot say no is not a legislature at all. A democracy made only of echoes is one election away from becoming something else entirely,” Saraki said.
He argued that unless electoral reforms restore the value of citizens votes, political leaders would remain largely unaccountable.
“For as long as elected officials believe votes do not truly matter, accountability will remain weak,” he said.
Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, acknowledged the growing security burden on the nation, stressing that the military alone cannot effectively secure Nigeria’s vast territory.
“Nigeria has a land border of 4,000 kilometres and over 923,000 square kilometres of landmass. The armed forces alone cannot cover the entire area,” he said disclosing that Nigerians paid N2.23 trillion in ransom between May 2023 and April 2024, describing the figure as alarming and indicative of the scale of the security crisis.
Former Lagos governor Fashola also called for structural policing reforms, including state police, while advocating transparency in security spending disclosing that Lagos operated without discretionary security votes during his administration.
“We set up a security trust fund. The accounts were audited, and every year we told Lagosians how resources were deployed,” Fashola said adding that although state police remains necessary, implementation requires careful planning.
Security expert Dr. Charles Omole also described Nigeria’s insecurity as an existential threat requiring unconventional solutions.
“Nigeria’s security situation has become existential, we have to abandon conventional solutions,” he said.
He proposed a national security data grid and mandatory intelligence sharing among agencies to improve response effectiveness.
Human rights advocate Ifeoma Aiyedun further warned against sacrificing democratic principles in the name of national security.
“There is absolutely no conflict between national security and democracy,” she said.
Meanwhile, journalist Olusegun Adeniyi raised concerns over declining voter turnout, noting that only 26.72 percent of registered voters participated in the 2023 presidential election the lowest in Nigeria’s history.
“When three-quarters of registered voters see no point in voting, we do not have democracy in any meaningful sense,” he warned.
The recent development calls for urgent intervention, as many Nigeria say without urgent reforms in security governance, electoral credibility and institutional accountability, Nigeria may face deeper democratic and security challenges ahead of 2027.