With the continuous collapse in the Nigerian security occasioned by armed banditry, Boko haram insurgency, kidnapping, arson, militancy as well as farmers – herders’ crisis, it has become pertinent to ask; where and what have the security votes secured?
According to Wikipedia, Security vote in Nigeria is a monthly allowance that is allocated to the 36 states within the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the sole purpose of funding security services within such states.
The monthly fund runs into billions of naira and vary based on the level of security required by the individual state.
But in Nigeria, monies obtained for security votes by State Governors have continued to be kept closed, away from public view. Infact no one really knows how much do sitting governors receive as security votes in their respective states.
Because it has been kept away from public domain and state governors are not required to account for the spending of security votes, many persons have alleged that most state governors divert and make away with these monies for their personal and private gains.
Others have alleged that in times of elections, political office holders use these funds to purchase arms which are deployed to eliminate political opponents or harass members of the public.
There are also insinuations that the major cause of mayhem, social, tribal and political unrest rocking the country today could be traced to some groups of disgruntled and jobless youths that once owed their upkeep to security votes.
Some of them are people who were propped up by political office holders with tons of cash at their disposal courtesy of the security vote, but were later discarded after their principals and sponsors no longer needed their services.
As part of the current administration’s effort and campaign against corruption, monies collected for security votes by state governors should be made public.
It is public money meant for social welfare and security development. Thus, it should be accounted for especially as this move would foster transparency and accountability.
To lay emphasis on this, transparency and accountability in governance is very crucial as it is a major driving force for national development and all-round stability.
That goes to say that with the current high level of insecurity rocking the nation, it would be wrong for an individual to collect huge sums under the guise of security vote without any measures taken to hold them accountable.
As a matter of fact, where these monies are not made public, it begins to breed room for various speculations and concerns as to how it is utilized.
The issue of security votes has been a contentious one in Nigeria, with many questioning the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding the funds. As the country continues to grapple with insecurity, it is imperative that state governors come clean on how they utilize these funds.
For too long, security votes have been shrouded in secrecy, with governors having a free hand to spend billions of naira without rendering accounts. This lack of transparency has led to allegations of corruption, misappropriation, and diversion of funds for personal gains.
It is unacceptable that governors continue to collect billions of naira as security votes without being held accountable. The people of Nigeria deserve to know how their funds are being utilized, especially in the face of rising insecurity.
The scam of security votes must end. Governors must be transparent and accountable in their use of these funds. It is time for Nigerians to demand more from their leaders.
The call for transparency and accountability is not a partisan issue; it is a matter of good governance and responsible leadership. Governors must rise above partisan interests and prioritize the welfare and security of their people.
The Federal Government should therefore not turn a blind eye to how monies for security votes are being spent but rather create formulas to demand accountability through legislative watch as well as judiciary interpretations when need be.
