Amid hardship and insecurity, Sokoto government approves ₦1.46 billion for luxury vehicles

• Sokoto approved N1.46bn for official vehicles for the governor’s office.

• The package includes three bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs.

• Other vehicles include two 2025 Toyota Prado SUVs and a Coaster bus.

• The approval comes amid worsening hardship and insecurity in Nigeria.

The Sokoto State Government has approved the sum of ₦1.46 billion for the purchase of official vehicles for Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s office, including bulletproof luxury SUVs, amid rising economic hardship and insecurity across Nigeria.

The approval was granted during a State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House in Sokoto on Wednesday as part of broader contracts valued at over ₦7.5 billion.

According to officials who briefed journalists after the meeting, the approved vehicles include three bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs, two 2025 Toyota Prado SUVs, and one Coaster bus intended for official government operations.

The state Commissioner for Transport, Bala Kokani, said the approvals were part of efforts to improve government operations and service delivery across the state.

The latest approval, however, is already generating reactions online due to the country’s current economic realities, with many Nigerians battling rising food prices, inflation, fuel costs, and worsening living conditions.

Security concerns have also remained high across several northern states, including Sokoto, where communities have repeatedly faced attacks linked to banditry and kidnapping activities in recent years.

Beyond the governor’s vehicles, the state government also approved several infrastructure and public service projects during the council meeting.

Among them is ₦2.2 billion for the rehabilitation of 36 roads across the state, ₦1.079 billion for the renovation of the NYSC orientation camp in Wamako, and ₦438 million for the purchase of six buses for the Sokoto State Transport Authority.

The council further approved an additional N894.68 million for the Airport Road and Protocol Lodge project, as well as ₦733.27 million for the renovation of the International Conference Centre in Kasarawa.

Other approvals include ₦340.5 million for the purchase of two payloaders for waste evacuation and sanitation purposes, alongside ₦398.63 million for fencing and development works at the Livestock Services Centre in Wamako.

Officials of the state government said the approvals reflect the administration’s commitment to infrastructure development, transportation, environmental sanitation, and improved public service delivery.

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Governor Ahmed Aliyu, who assumed office in 2023, has repeatedly promised to improve security and development across Sokoto State.

However, the approval of luxury and bulletproof vehicles for the governor’s office is likely to intensify conversations around government spending priorities at a time many Nigerians continue to struggle with the effects of inflation and economic reforms nationwide.