By Uche Amunike
The Federal Government has disbursed N5.15tn in special intervention funds to the Nigerian military and related security agencies between November 2023 and September 2026, amid persistent insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes across the country.
According to documents obtained by newsmen from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, Thursday, the government received N5.65tn into a dedicated special intervention account over the period, out of which N5.15tn had been disbursed, representing 91.15 per cent of the total funds.
The records showed that the intervention was financed through allocations from the Federation Account and other government revenue sources, including non-oil revenue and funds transferred from a FAAC withholding account.
The document, titled ‘Ledger of Special Intervention Programme for Nigerian Military September, 2026’, was prepared by the Federation Account Department of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and formed part of the records presented to the Technical Sub-Committee of FAAC at its meeting in Abuja on October 14, 2026.
According to the ledger, the FG N5tn military operations Nigeria funding was released through 30 payment transactions between November 8, 2023, and September 23, 2026, while the total receipts were recorded across 33 funding transactions.
The disbursements were separate from the regular annual budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Defence and other security institutions, indicating the scale of additional financial resources channelled towards security operations.
However, the records did not provide a breakdown of the specific military operations, equipment purchases, personnel costs or security projects financed with the money.
The FG N5tn military operations Nigeria programme shows a sharp acceleration in 2026. Payments wa recorded in 2026 amounted to N2.75tn, compared with N1.2tn in 2024, representing an increase of approximately 129.17 per cent.
The N2.75tn disbursed in 2026 also accounted for 53.40 per cent of the N5.15tn paid out under the programme since its commencement. The analysis further showed that the government disbursed more under the special intervention programme in 2026 than the combined N2.4tn released between November 2023 and September 2025.
The intervention account received N3.25tn in 2026 up to October 14, compared with N1.2tn throughout 2024.
On September 23, 2026, N500bn was paid to military and paramilitary agencies, marking one of the largest individual disbursements recorded under the programme. The final entry in the ledger showed a further N500bn transfer from non-oil revenue on October 14, 2026, described as the September 2026 allocation.
It also revealed that the programme had an outstanding balance of N500bn as of October 14, 2026, representing 8.85 per cent of the total N5.65tn received. The balance arose after the latest N500bn transfer was recorded without a corresponding payment in the ledger.
Nigeria is simultaneously battling Boko Haram and ISWAP in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, kidnapping on major highways, and communal clashes in the North-Central. The Defence Headquarters recently said troops killed 435 terrorists and rescued 717 hostages in recent operations, and denied any ceasefire with Boko Haram.
Security experts say money alone will not end insecurity. They urge the government to publish a detailed breakdown of how the FG N5tn military operations Nigeria funds were spent — on equipment, intelligence, personnel welfare, and air power — to allow public accountability.
The Presidency has repeatedly said security remains its top priority under the Renewed Hope Agenda, and that the intervention funds were necessary to re-equip the military after years of underfunding.
The FG N5tn military operations Nigeria ledger, analysts say, raises a key question for voters in 2027: has N5.15tn in extra spending made Nigerians safer, or does Nigeria need a reset in strategy, not just more spending?
