Kaiama council got N209m security votes in 2025, spent nothing on security equipment
…as terrorists continue killing spree in LGA
Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State got N209,922,400.00 as security vote in 2025 but did not spend any amount on the purchase or maintenance of security equipment, an investigation by The Informant247 has shown.
Security votes are discretionary funds allocated to public office holders for security-related purposes. In Nigeria, they are often criticised by transparency advocates due to weak accountability mechanisms and the absence of clear spending breakdowns.
Financial records of the council obtained by The Informant247 showed that it budgeted the sum of N20,000,000.00 for the purchase of security equipment in 2025 but nothing was spent under the heading.
Also, there is no evidence of expenditure on critical security infrastructure throughout the year under review. There were no entries for procurement of patrol vehicles, surveillance tools, communication gadgets, or other crime-prevention equipment.
The records also did not indicate any investment in community policing initiatives or support for conventional security agencies operating within the local government area.
The absence of such spending comes despite worsening insecurity in Kaiama, one of the local government areas hardest hit by terrorist attacks in Kwara State.
On Friday, at least five members of the National Forest Guard were killed when suspected terrorists attacked the Nuku community in the early hours of the day. The gunmen reportedly stormed a security formation around 3:00 a.m., opened fire, and set security equipment ablaze.
Nuku is a neighbouring community to Woro, also in Kaiama, where about 150 people, mostly residents, were killed in a recent attack.
A traditional leader in Woro recounted losing family members during the attack, while residents described fleeing into surrounding bushland as gunmen overran their communities for hours.
Residents and local officials have repeatedly raised concerns about the absence or delayed response of security forces during attacks, with some accusing authorities of failing to act on prior warnings about militant movements in the area.
The violence has been linked to armed groups operating in forested areas along the Niger-Kwara axis, with analysts warning that the region is becoming a new front in Nigeria’s expanding insurgency.
The repeated attacks have left residents vulnerable, with communities experiencing sustained violence and limited protection.
Meanwhile, budget projections show that the local government has earmarked N342,000,000.00 as security votes, and N100 million has again been budgeted for the purchase of security equipment in 2026.
