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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has asked for the immediate refund of the N1.14bn given to the Niger Republic for the purchase of official vehicles by President Muhammadu Buhari.
SERAP on its verified Twitter handle on Wednesday made the demand.
Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, had confirmed that the federal government approved N1.14billion for the supply of 10 Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles to the Republic of Niger.
The Minister claimed Nigeria has always been providing such interventions to neighbouring countries including Chad, Cameroon, and many others.
She had said that President Muhammadu Buhari reserved the right to take decisions in the interest of the country.
In her words,
“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 has assisted the Niger Republic, Cameroon or Chad.”
Nigerians, however, have disapproved of the disbursement of funds amid the nation’s crises such as the nearly six-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other challenges facing Nigerians that call for immediate attention.
SERAP tweeted,
“The Buhari administration must immediately ask Niger Republic authorities to refund the N1.14 billion approved for them to buy vehicles, and use the money to offset the funding for ASUU, so those poor children can go back to school”.
