The activist in a post via his verified social media accounts on Friday said the disclosure exposes serious concerns about the use of public funds while communities continue to face attacks and insecurity persists.
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has said that there is a need for transparency and accountability in the spending of ₦7billion by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum on the so-called “rehabilitation” of Boko Haram fighters.
He noted that the policy has neither ended violence nor delivered security to affected communities.
Sowore reacted after Daily Trust reported Governor Zulum’s claim that his administration spent about ₦100 billion on security interventions this year, including the controversial insurgent reintegration programme.
The activist in a post via his verified social media accounts on Friday said the disclosure exposes serious concerns about the use of public funds while communities continue to face attacks and insecurity persists.
“In this year, what I spent on security was about N100 billion… We have a lot of plans for education, health and more. We spent a lot to make the structures on the ground.”
According to Daily Trust, Zulum made the statement during a condolence visit to the Emir of Uba, Alhaji Ali Ibn Mamza, following recent attacks in Askira/Uba communities that claimed several lives.
The newspaper reported that the governor also lamented how insecurity had driven contractors away, stalling reconstruction of roads and other critical infrastructure projects.
In his reaction, Sowore said the ₦7 billion spent on Boko Haram rehabilitation represents a misallocation of resources, noting that the programme has failed to improve security despite the huge investment.
He added that the governor’s repeated claims of large security spending must be independently audited, warning that without transparency, the public cannot know whether the funds are being used effectively.
Sowore said, "The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum, has claimed that he spent ₦100 billion on security this year to combat insecurity. Yet this staggering figure remains unaudited and unsupported by transparent accounting, raising serious questions about its credibility and impact."
"What must also be disclosed is that at least ₦7 billion was spent on the so-called “rehabilitation” of Boko Haram fighters—a policy that has neither ended violence nor delivered security to affected communities. This controversial allocation helps explain why insecurity persists despite huge budgetary claims."