The Federal Government has disbursed N1.15 billion for the purchase of 10 SUVs for its neighbouring country, the Republic of Niger.
In defence of the action, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed said the move was to enable the country to safeguard its territory in the best interest of Nigeria’s security.
The minister who spoke while fielding questions from State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Buhari, added that it was not the first time Nigeria would be supporting her neighbours.
According to Mrs Ahmed, the President has a responsibility to make such decisions “in the best interests of the country”.
In a report on Wednesday, Sahara Reporters said that in June President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), 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 was also discovered that Buhari had since February 2022, approved the disbursement.
There have been kicks by some Nigerians over the development with many of them wondering why the president chose to prioritise funding a foreign entity amid current harsh economic realities.
But the Finance Minister, in her response to the development said, “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 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.”