A document detailing the transfer was shared by journalist, David Hundeyin, on Twitter
I'm going to put this on Twitter because @WestAfricaWeek is a long-read platform that doesn't do breaking news, and this needs to be out there.
— David Hundeyin (@DavidHundeyin) August 2, 2022
I've got hold of a budget office document showing @MBuhari approving N1.4 billion to buy vehicles for the government of Niger Republic. pic.twitter.com/GDVx50cOJ0
Justifying the decision to spend over N1.14bn ($2.7m) finance minister, Zainab Ahmed, said the vehicles were purchased for the government of Niger for security purposes.
However, it remains unclear how such SUVs could boost the security of Niger Republic which borders Nigeria’s troubled northwest.
Back to school?
The development comes barely months after Buhari approved the transfer of $1m to Afghanistan for humanitarian purposes in the wake of the takeover of the Taliban.
Pro-transparency group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), in a tweet called on Buhari to withdraw the gift from Niger.
BREAKING: The Buhari administration must immediately ask Niger Republic authorities to refund the N1.4 billion approved for them to buy vehicles, and use the money to offset the funding for ASUU, so that poor children can go back to school.
— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) August 3, 2022
SERAP argued that the gift amounted to waste coming amid a five-month strike embarked on by university lecturers over poor funding among others.
Security sources tell The Africa Report that
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