The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD), an environmental and human rights advocacy group, has expressed deep concern over the increasing abuse of state security institutions, the worsening insecurity across Nigeria, the persistent mismanagement of security votes, and the absence of a functional social security framework.
In a statement, signed by Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, Executive Director, FENRAD, FENRAD noted that security agencies originally established to protect citizens are being misused for political purposes, including the intimidation of civil society voices, harassment of opposition figures, and suppression of peaceful protests.
The group warned that such practices erode Nigeria’s democracy and threaten constitutional freedoms.
FENRAD also decried the escalation of insecurity across all regions of the country, citing terrorism in the North East, banditry in the North West, herder-farmer clashes in the Middle Belt, and separatist agitations in the South East. It said government assurances have failed to produce lasting solutions, leaving the state “seemingly overwhelmed.”
The group condemned the opacity surrounding security votes, special funds allocated to federal and state executives for tackling security challenges, describing them as “slush funds” in many cases. FENRAD stressed that these allocations, running into billions of naira annually, are neither audited nor subjected to legislative oversight, thereby fueling corruption and undermining genuine security efforts.
FENRAD further highlighted the absence of a robust social security system despite rising inflation, youth unemployment, poor healthcare access, and worsening food insecurity. It warned that millions of Nigerians are being pushed deeper into poverty while successive governments fail to provide minimum social protection for the most vulnerable.
FENRAD called for a national rethink to expand Nigerians’ rights beyond civil and political liberties to include economic, environmental, and social rights. It issued the following demands: End politicisation of security agencies and ensure transparent management of security votes, Enact laws for oversight of security spending and prioritise social protections in national budgets, Investigate and audit security vote expenditures at both federal and state levels, Sustain efforts in exposing misuse of power, corruption, and shrinking civic space and Demand accountability, defend their rights, and insist on dignity and protection.
“Nigeria stands at a crossroads. The time to act is now. It is time to rewrite the rights—toward a just, secure, and inclusive nation,” Nwafor said.
