The Federal Government has disbursed N5.15tn in special intervention funds to the military and other security agencies between November 2023 and October 2026, as the country continues to battle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats.
An analysis of Federation Account Allocation Committee documents obtained by The PUNCH showed that the government received N5.65tn into the dedicated intervention account during the period, with 91.15 per cent of the funds already paid out.
The records, contained in a ledger prepared by the Federation Account Department of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, were presented to the FAAC Technical Sub-Committee at its meeting in Abuja on October 14, 2026.
The funds, sourced from Federation Account allocations, non-oil revenue and transfers from a FAAC withholding account, were released through 30 payment transactions. The disbursements were separate from the regular annual budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Defence and other security agencies.
The ledger showed that the programme initially operated on a monthly N100bn allocation, with N1.2tn received and disbursed in 2024. By September 2025, cumulative payments had reached N2.4tn.
However, the funding increased significantly in 2026, with individual transfers rising to between N200bn and N500bn. The government received N3.25tn that year, while N2.75tn was disbursed, accounting for more than half of the total payments recorded since the programme began.
The latest N500bn transfer, recorded on October 14, brought total receipts to N5.65tn. With no corresponding payment reflected in the ledger, the intervention account had an outstanding balance of N500bn, representing 8.85 per cent of the total funds received.
The document did not provide details of the specific military operations, equipment purchases, personnel costs or security projects financed through the intervention funds.
The increased spending comes amid persistent security challenges, including the activities of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province in the North-East, as well as banditry and mass kidnappings in parts of the North-West and North-Central regions.
FG Reviews National Security Strategy
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has commenced a review of the 2019 National Security Strategy to develop a new framework addressing emerging threats, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime, food insecurity and climate change.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed this on Thursday during the inauguration of a committee tasked with producing the National Security Strategy 2026. Represented by retired Major General Sarkin Bello, he said Nigeria’s security environment had changed significantly since the last review, requiring a broader and more coordinated response.
Ribadu said the new strategy would provide a framework for national security, resilience and sustainable development, while anticipating emerging threats. The committee’s Deputy Chairman, retired Major General Evi Onumajuru, said the review would also link economic development, good governance and human security with national defence.
