Buhari’s govt spends over N1.2bn to donate vehicles to Niger Republic, says it benefits Nigeria
As outrage and more questions follow the revelation by investigative social media reporter David Hundeyin regarding the latest, known gifts to Niger Republic from the Nigerian government led by retired army General Muhammadu Buhari is making the argument that it is to the benefit of Nigeria. The gift of Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles is reported to have cost more than N1.2 billion.
The contract was awarded to IFO Kaura Motors (Nig.) Limited while approval for the release of the fund was granted by President Buhari on February 22, 2022.
Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said today at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, “this was not the first time the country is providing such interventions to her neighbours. Let me just say that over time, Nigeria has had to support its neighbours, especially the immediate neighbours, to enhance their capacity to secure their countries as it relates to us. This is not the first time that Nigeria had assisted Niger Republic, Cameroon or Chad.”
On the concerns that there are several, urgent domestic/internal matters to spend money on, she responded that “Nigerians have the rights to ask questions, but also the President has the responsibility to make an assessment of what is in the best interest of the country and I cannot question the decision myself. I have said that this is not the first time and that Nigeria as a country has provided an intervention to our neighbors. It is in the best interest of Nigeria to do so. It is to enhance their capacity to protect their countries, as it relates to security and also to Nigeria.”
