As Governor, I Never Received Security Votes – Fashola

Former Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, has said he never received security votes throughout his eight years in office.

He said security operations in the state were funded through transparent budgetary processes and contributions from residents and the private sector.

Fashola said this during a panel discussion on governance, democracy and security at The Platform.

He challenged widespread assumptions that governors routinely receive discretionary security funds outside public scrutiny.

“This security vote thing, whenever I hear some of my colleagues talk about it, I don’t know what it means because I never had it in Lagos.

“I was the governor, so I speak for what I know. There was no security vote. All our acquisitions were domiciled in the ministry of budget and planning”, he said.

The former governor said he could only account for his experience in office, maintaining that no funds designated as security votes were made available to him during his tenure.

“So, when you say governors received security votes, I don’t know if Saraki as Governor of Kwara State got that kind of money. I didn’t get it, and I don’t know where they were getting it from,” he added.

Saraki, two-time governor of Kwara, was one of the guests at the event.

Fashola said Lagos adopted a structured approach to security management, anchored on regular consultations, data analysis and public accountability.

According to him, monthly security meetings were held consistently throughout his administration, bringing together relevant stakeholders to assess threats and coordinate responses.

“Back in the day, we used to have a monthly security meeting. It was held every first Wednesday of the month for eight years, and I never missed that meeting,” he said.

He explained that the state relied heavily on the Lagos Security Trust Fund, through which individuals and corporate organisations contributed resources to strengthen security operations.

Fashola said the fund’s accounts and assets were audited regularly, while residents were periodically briefed on how resources were utilised and the impact of security interventions.

“The accounts and assets were audited, and every year we came to a town hall like this. We did not just tell Lagosians what we were doing with the resources; we also reported crime statistics and measured changes from previous years to assess our progress,” he said.

The former minister argued that combating crime requires more than force, noting that governments must continuously adapt to changing criminal patterns through policy innovations and institutional reforms.

He cited Lagos’ early adoption of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s cashless policy as one of the measures that helped curb crimes such as armed robbery and kidnapping.

“It wasn’t just a battle won with arms and guns; it was also a battle won with policies.

“Crime is very dynamic. As you win one battle, a new crime emerges. It doesn’t end. That is the unending work of all the people responsible for securing society”, he noted.

Also speaking, ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki, said the debate over security votes should not overshadow the need to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process.

Saraki argued that the country’s greater challenge is ensuring that elections produce leaders with the competence and integrity to manage public resources responsibly.

According to him, accountability in governance will depend largely on the quality of leadership that emerges from a credible democratic process.