The Federal Government expended a total of N57.78 billion on security-related projects and operations between January and April 2026, despite worsening insecurity across the country, with no fewer than 98 criminal incidents, including attacks and abductions, recorded nationwide within one week.
Data obtained from the Open Treasury Portal revealed that the amount spent on defence equipment procurement, security infrastructure, military barracks, police facilities and other security-related projects represented a 127.97 per cent increase from the N25.35 billion expended during the corresponding period in 2025.
The expenditure comes amid persistent attacks by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other armed criminals across several states, raising concerns among security analysts over the effectiveness of government efforts to address the nation’s security challenges.
An analysis of the Treasury Portal data showed that the N57.78 billion spent as of April 2026 constituted only 1.24 per cent of the N4.66 trillion approved security budget for the year.
Of the amount released, the largest share, N21.39 billion, representing about 37 per cent of total security spending, was allocated to defence equipment procurement.
Another N14.16 billion was spent on security equipment, while N5.84 billion went into the construction and provision of military barracks. The government also expended N5.17 billion on police stations and barracks, N3.26 billion on the rehabilitation of defence equipment, N2.39 billion on defence facilities, and N2.16 billion on repairs of military barracks.
For routine operations, N3 billion was disbursed for security services, while N320.94 million was released as security votes.
However, the records indicated that no expenditure had been made under the military operations budget line tagged “Operation Lafiya Dole and Other Operations of the Armed Forces,” despite a N500 million provision in the 2026 budget.
Similarly, no funds had been released for the kitting of Armed Forces personnel, although N2.53 billion was earmarked for the programme.
A year-on-year comparison further showed that spending on defence equipment rose from N9.48 billion within the first four months of 2025 to N21.39 billion in 2026, while expenditure on military barracks construction increased from zero to N5.84 billion.
Despite the increase in security spending, budget implementation remained low across several critical projects, with many programmes recording execution rates below three per cent.
The spending figures emerged as a police security report obtained by WATCHNEWS disclosed that at least 98 criminal incidents were recorded across Nigeria within the last seven days.
According to the report, the incidents comprised 37 homicide cases, 27 banditry attacks, 24 kidnappings, eight armed robbery incidents, and two terrorism-related attacks.
The cases were reported across Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi and several other states, involving mass abductions, attacks on rural communities and kidnappings along major highways, underscoring the persistent security challenges confronting the country despite increased budgetary allocations to the sector.
