The Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has explained the rationale behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s purchase of 10 vehicles for the Niger Republic.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that a journalist, David Hundeyin, had on Wednesday released a document revealing how Mr Buhari approved N1.4 billion on February 28, 2022 for the purchase of 10 Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles for the Nigerien government.
The documents sparked outrage among Twitter users with many wondering the motive of funding a foreign entity when Nigeria students are still on strike.
Speaking with State House correspondents shortly after the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting in Abuja, Mrs Ahmed explained that the intervention was to help the country tackle insecurity.
She 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.”
