CISLAC hosts stakeholders’ dialogue on legal contradictions hindering transparency in defence sector
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), in collaboration with the Transparency International Defence and Security Project and with support from the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a stakeholders’ dialogue in Kano to address conflicting legal provisions that hinder access to information in Nigeria’s defence and security sector.
Speaking at the forum, on Wednesday the Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, emphasized the urgent need to harmonize existing laws—particularly the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, the Official Secrets Act, the Code of Conduct Act, and the Public Documents Act—which he said contain overlapping and contradictory provisions that undermine transparency and accountability in the sector.
“There is a lack of clarity and context within these laws regarding what information should be disclosed and what should remain classified. This legal ambiguity is often used to shield critical information—especially financial data—from public scrutiny,” Rafsanjani stated.
Represented by CISLAC’s Program Manager for Defence and Security, Abubakar Jimoh, Rafsanjani noted that Nigeria’s defence and security institutions continue to operate without clear legal guidelines on information disclosure, particularly in areas such as budgeting, procurement, and personnel management.
He warned that this opacity poses a serious threat to public accountability and weakens Nigeria’s credibility in the international arena.
“No serious international partner will fully engage with Nigeria’s defence sector without clear standards of transparency. Key components of the Government Defence Integrity Index (GDI)—such as financial accountability—are directly impacted by this legal confusion,” he added.
He further explained that taxpayer funds are being used to operate military-run schools, hospitals, and commercial ventures, yet there is little to no oversight on how these funds are managed.
“You cannot use defence budgets to fund schools and contracting companies without accountability. There must be a transparent system to track profits, losses, and whether public interest is being served,” he said.
The dialogue also addressed the issue of procurement secrecy, with Rafsanjani criticizing the excessive classification of procurement information, which contradicts international best practices such as the Swan Principles promoted by Transparency International.
“Not all defence procurement data should be classified. Oversight institutions, civil society, and the media must have access to essential information to ensure transparency and detect corruption,” he emphasized.
Rafsanjani also raised concerns about gender inequality and lack of transparency in personnel management within the security sector. He noted that women remain underrepresented in leadership positions and that many officers are often unaware of their rights and entitlements.
Speaking at the event, Muhammad Lawal Tijjani, Principal Legislative Officer at the Kano State House of Assembly, said the training had broadened their understanding of the FOI Act.
“It exposed us to the process of making FOI requests and helped us understand the categories of information that are exempt from public disclosure due to national security concerns,” he said.
Also sharing her experience, Nafisa Uba, Chief Investigative Officer at the National Human Rights Commission, described the dialogue as highly impactful and said she would apply the knowledge in her work.
“I’ve not had much difficulty accessing information from security agencies because I understand their language and I’m aware of what information is available to the public and what isn’t,” she noted.
The dialogue was attended by 30 participants, including representatives from civil society, the media, oversight institutions, and the security sector.
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