Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of contributing to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
He described it as the alleged underfunding of key security institutions despite budgetary provisions approved by the National Assembly.
Atiku made the allegation while reacting to recent remarks by Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, concerning the implementation of the 2026 national budget.
According to the former vice president, the senator’s comments have reinforced concerns repeatedly raised by opposition figures over the handling of public finances and budget execution by the Federal Government.
In a statement issued on Tuesday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the concerns raised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) senator should not be ignored because they touch directly on issues affecting the safety and welfare of Nigerians.
The former vice president said the country continues to face serious security challenges, including attacks by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.
He added that questions must be asked about whether security agencies are receiving the funds approved for them to carry out their responsibilities.
According to him, the remarks credited to Senator Monguno went beyond ordinary observations about budget implementation and raised fundamental questions about fiscal management and constitutional accountability.
“These are not allegations from the opposition. They are grave constitutional questions raised by a distinguished senator of the ruling party,” Atiku said.
He argued that if funds appropriated by law for security operations, intelligence gathering, logistics and equipment procurement are not released as required, then the government must explain why security agencies are struggling to respond effectively to growing threats across the country.
Atiku maintained that every major security incident should prompt scrutiny of whether security institutions had access to the resources approved for them by lawmakers.
“Every massacre should compel Nigerians to ask one simple question: were our security agencies given the resources approved by law to prevent it?
“How do you expect our gallant security personnel to defeat terrorists, bandits and kidnappers when those responsible for equipping them are allegedly withholding the very funds appropriated for that purpose?” he asked.
The former vice president further stated that the concerns raised by the APC senator have strengthened the opposition’s position that the Tinubu administration must account for both its fiscal decisions and the state of security in the country.
His reaction followed comments made by Senator Monguno during a Senate Committee session on the economy attended by the Minister of Finance.
During the meeting, the Borno lawmaker expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of implementation of the 2026 Appropriation Act.
Monguno reportedly stated that implementation of the budget had “hardly begun” despite the passage of several months into the fiscal year.
He warned that failure to execute an approved budget undermines the constitutional responsibilities of the executive arm of government.
The senator also raised concerns over delays linked to the 2025 budget. He noted that lawmakers were compelled to extend the lifespan of the previous budget until September 2026 to allow for the completion of projects that were not executed within the original timeline.
According to him, about 70 percent of the 2025 budget was rolled into the 2026 fiscal plan after implementation targets were missed.
He expressed concern that many capital projects across sectors remained unfinished despite funds being appropriated.
Monguno further revealed that some security agencies informed lawmakers that they had not received capital allocations despite increasing security pressures facing the country.
He also questioned the management of federal revenues, demanding explanations over the retention of a significant portion of funds generated through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The senator argued that budgets are the primary instruments through which governments deliver development projects and public services. He also warned that poor implementation weakens public confidence and slows national progress.
