The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has blamed Nigerian state governors for worsening insecurity in the country, accusing them of failing to properly utilise security votes meant to protect citizens.
In a statement released on Tuesday through his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Ayodele alleged that many governors divert security funds to personal and political luxuries instead of investing in security infrastructure.
He claimed that although President Bola Tinubu has increased monthly allocations to state governments, most governors are not using the funds to improve the lives of citizens.
“Our governors in Nigeria spend security votes on things that don’t make any sense. They spend it on parties and frivolities instead of securing the people that voted for them,” he said.
Ayodele added that Nigerians are not feeling the impact of the increased allocations, as leaders are more focused on wealth accumulation than governance.
According to him, basic security investments such as vehicles and helicopters for law enforcement are not overly expensive, questioning why some governors still claim they lack control over security matters.
“How much will it cost them to buy vehicles or helicopters for police to fight banditry? We should question them. Tinubu has given them enough funds, so how can a governor say he has no power over security? That is a failure in leadership,” he stated.
The cleric also called for stricter oversight on how security votes are spent, demanding accountability from state governments.
“The security votes must be scrutinised. How are they spending it? How many police stations have they built? Many of these governors are not adding value; they are only enriching themselves,” he added.
Ayodele further argued that responsibility for insecurity should not rest solely on the Federal Government, insisting that governors must also be held accountable for incidents within their states.