Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has defended the federal government’s decision to purchase 10 luxurious vehicles worth N1.4 billion for Niger Republic to tackle insecurity.
A journalist, David Hundeyin, on Wednesday released a document revealing how President Mohammadu Buhari approved N1.4 billion on February 28, 2022, for the purchase of the 10 Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles for the Nigerien Government.
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The documents sparked outrage, especially among social media users, with many wondering about the motive of funding a foreign country when Nigerian universities are under lock and key.
The Minister when speaking with state house correspondents shortly after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC), meeting in Abuja, explained that the intervention was to help the country tackle insecurity.
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“Let me just say that, over time, 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,” she said.
Mrs Ahmed added that the approval was to enhance the capacity of the Niger Republic to protect its own territory as it security also relates to Nigeria.
According to her, “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 stated..
