Despite the criticisms that greeted the earlier approval of the money, President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday approved the release of $1 billion for the procurement of security equipment to fight insecurity in the country.
It would be recalled that the National Economic Council had in 2017 approved the $1 billion to be sourced from the country’s Excess Crude Account (ECA) for the fight against Boko Haram insurgency and other violent criminal activities across the country.
However, most governors and other stakeholders kicked against it on the pretext that they were not consulted before the the federal government took the decision.
Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (retired), the Minister of Defence, retired disclosed this when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting between President Buhari and service chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
Dan-Ali said: “What I can add, after all that I have said is to inform you that of recent, our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for the purchase of more equipment for the military, worth one billion dollars.’’
He said that the meeting also reviewed the security situation in the country, saying that a Division of the Army had been established in Sokoto to further strengthen the security situation in the North-West region.
The minister of defence said: “This is a normal meeting of security agencies in the country. As usual, we discussed the current activities that affected most of the states in the federation like Taraba, Zamfara and other states.
“Well, as usual we have operationalised a Division in Sokoto, there will be a Brigade in Katsina and another Brigade in Zamfara that will take care of the security situation in that area.
“The strength of security personnel has increased including the Air Force additional quick response group, they have added enough manpower in that area.’’
According to him, the military is already combing some parts of Taraba State and some weapons have been recovered from civilians.
On the remaining Dapchi schoolgirl (Leah Sharibu) in Boko Haram captivity, Dan-Ali said, “Well, we are making all available efforts to see that the girl is returned safely.”
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olanishakin, Service Chiefs, Directors-Generals of Department of State Service and National Intelligence Agency, Lawal Daura and Ahmed Rufa’I respectively attended the meeting.
Before now, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had said that the states governors gave the approval for $1 billion to be spent in prosecution of the war against Boko Haram in the North East and combating other security issues from the Excess Crude Account, ECA.
On December 19, 2017,Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum, NGF, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors Forum, Ayodele Fayose, disagreed over the recent approval of $1 billion by the National Economic Council, NEC, for the fight against insurgency.
While Yari said 32 of 36 governors were in attendance when the decision was taken, Fayose said he was not part of the decision and that his state had gone to court to challenge the decision.
The two governors spoke separately to State House correspondents after an emergency meeting between the NGF and Speakers of State Houses of Assembly at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Meanwhile, there was indication that as the $1 billion approval from the Excess Crude Account continues to generate controversy, the governors involved speakers of State Assemblies to give legislative backing to the approval.
Later, the Federal Government recanted on its earlier statement, saying the proposed $1 billion which the state governors had asked it to withdraw from the Excess Crude Account was to fight Boko Haram.
It, however, maintained that the fund is not meant for fighting the terrorist organisation alone but also to tackle other security challenges.
