Niger Republic’s Minister of Defence, Alkassoum Indatou has debunked the news of the country receiving 10 vehicles bought by the President Muhammadu Buhari government for N1.15 billion.
Recall that investigative journalist, David Hundeyin had reported the news that despite the lingering ASUU strike which has been left attended to by the Federal Government, President Buhari approved the purchase of 10 vehicles for Niger Republic to aid security measures.
Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed later came out to affirm Hundeyin’s report noting that truly money was allocated to purchase the vehicles and it was president Buhari’s prerogative to do so.
According to This Day, Defense Minister Indatou while reacting to the news, said they have only received five vehicles as support from Zamfara State which shares a border with their conuntry and this act was mainly because the Nigerian forces used it as a measure to safeguard the country’s territory against terrorists.
Indatou, who spoke on behalf of the President of Niger Republic faulted Zainab’s claimed and reiterated that car donations were only gotten from Governor Bello Matawalle and they were five Hilux vans.
“It is only the State of Zamfara which has given five vehicles to the Maradi region, four of which have already been received, it is not the federal government as the Minister of Finance of Nigeria Zainab Ahmed declared,” said a translation of the French statement of a top Nigerien official privy to the issues.
“The population of Zamfara who are on the border with Niger call more on the Nigerien soldiers who respond to the minute than even those of their own country.”