The Muhammadu Buhari administration has justified, through the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, its purchase of 10 vehicles worth N1.15 billion as a gift to the neighbouring Niger Republic. The minister, who said it was not the first time Nigeria is supporting her neighbours, was fielding questions from State House Correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by Buhari.
The Federal Government, had defended the disbursement of the N1.15bn, saying that the move is to enable the country to safeguard its territory in the best interest of Nigeria’s security.
Ahmed argued that the President had a responsibility to make such decisions “in the best interests of the country”.
An online medium, Sahara Reporters, had revealed that Buhari approved N1.15bn to purchase 10 Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles for the Nigerien government.
The record which was sourced from the ‘appropriations’ page of the Ministry’s website showed that in July 2022, N1,145,000,000 was approved for payment to Kaura Motors Nigeria Limited to supply the SUVs.
It also revealed that the President had okayed the disbursement since February 2022, sparking outrage amongst Nigerians who argued that funding a foreign entity should not be the government’s priority amid the harsh economic realities.
But the Finance Minister said “Nigeria has had to support its neighbours, especially immediate neighbours, to enhance their capacity to secure their countries as it relates to us.
“This is not the first time that Nigeria has supported Niger, Cameroon or Chad, and the President makes an assessment as to what is required, based on the request of their president and such requests are approved and the interventions provided is to enhance their capacity to protect their own territory as it relates to security also to Nigeria.
“Nigerians have a right to ask questions, but also the President has a responsibility to make an assessment of what is in the best interests of the country. And I cannot question that decision”, she said.
