Known as "security votes," the funds comprise cash payments made to designated federal, state and local government officials for discretionary spending. They also dwarf recent and promised US and British security and counter-terrorism assistance, TI said in a report, "Camouflaged Cash: How 'Security Votes' Fuel Corruption in Nigeria". "Nigeria would arguably not need such assistance if it curtailed the use of security votes and reprogrammed them into the country's formal defence and security budget," it said. The group's head of defence and security, Katherine Dixon, called security votes "one of the most durable forms of corruption operating in Nigeria today". "It leaves armed forces under-resourced in the fight against Boko Haram and feeds groups who may destabilise the elections."

Source: Bangkok Post May 28, 2018 00:22 UTC