The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed concern over the continued killings in Plateau State despite the huge sums reportedly released as security votes by the state government, demanding greater accountability in the utilisation of the funds.

HURIWA said the revelation that the Plateau State Government released N18.9 billion in security votes in 2024 and another N17.28 billion between January and September 2025 could not be ignored against the backdrop of continuing attacks and killings across the state.

The rights group said the issue was not merely about the size of the security votes but also about accountability, transparency and measurable security outcomes.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, yesterday, HURIWA asked the Plateau State Government to explain how the funds had been deployed to protect citizens.

It said the question had become more pressing given the governor’s public acknowledgment of the severity of killings and insecurity confronting the state.

HURIWA stressed that it was not accusing the state government of diverting or misappropriating the funds, but argued that such substantial public expenditure on security created an obligation on the government to demonstrate what the money had achieved.

The association’s position followed an  analysis of state budget implementation reports, which showed that 10 states—Borno, Plateau, Ondo, Ebonyi, Katsina, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Edo, Bayelsa and Delta—could collectively spend about N140 billion on security votes in 2026 if the current spending pattern continued.

According to the analysis, the 10 states released about N80 billion in 2024, representing 72.2 per cent of the N110.8 billion budgeted for security votes.

In the first nine months of 2025 alone, the states reportedly released N87.87 billion from a collective provision of N127.36 billion.

HURIWA said it was troubling that security expenditure continued to rise amid persistent killings, kidnappings and attacks in different parts of the country.

It noted that security votes were intended to enable governors to respond to security emergencies, support intelligence gathering and facilitate rapid-response operations. However, it said the absence of detailed public disclosure on the utilisation of billions of naira left citizens with legitimate questions about the effectiveness and accountability of such spending.

The association therefore called on the Plateau State Government to provide citizens with a broad and transparent account of how its security votes had been deployed, including the interventions financed with the funds and the measurable outcomes achieved.

While acknowledging that operational details capable of compromising security operations might need to remain confidential, HURIWA said the government should still be able to account for the public resources entrusted to it.

It also urged the Plateau State House of Assembly and other relevant oversight institutions to strengthen scrutiny of security expenditure and demand evidence that appropriated funds were producing tangible improvements in the protection of lives and property.

HURIWA said citizens needed more than budgetary allocations and announcements, stressing that they needed security that could be felt in their communities.

The group urged the state government to urgently review its security strategy, strengthen intelligence-led operations, improve protection for vulnerable communities and ensure that perpetrators of attacks were arrested and prosecuted.

It said: “The Governor must wake up to the urgency of the situation and stop the killings of Plateau citizens.”
HURIWA maintained that no security vote, regardless of its size, should become a substitute for transparency, accountability and effective protection of human lives.