Yobe spends N15.8 billion on fighting Boko Haram insurgency

Military fails to disclose amount used

Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, yesterday said N15.8 billion has been expended on fighting Boko Haram insurgency for three years in the state.He disclosed this when the House Committee Chairmen on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Emergency Disaster Preparedness (EDP) paid him an official visit at the Government House, Damaturu.

He lamented that the colossal sum could have been expended on execution of several development projects that could improve the living condition of the people across the state.

On how funds were expended, Gaidam said: “The immediate past federal administration failed to finance the fight effectively and fully. The state government had to deploy the meagre resources at its disposal to support the campaign in areas of payment of allowances to security operatives, procurement of vehicles, logistics, medical assistance to security operatives and vigilante groups, maintenance of vehicles, all totaling N13.7 billion.

“Government also incurred expenditures in the provision of relief materials and medical assistance to victims of insurgency, thereby
bringing the amount to N15.8 billion as at the first quarter of 2017.”

Chairman of House Committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), Sani Zoro, said the National Assembly would ensure that monies spent on fighting insurgency, are refunded.

Meanwhile, the Military yesterday failed to disclose how much the Federal Government had spent in fighting insurgency in the last two years in the Northeast region.

When The Guardian visited the Defence headquarters in Abuja yesterday, the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj. Gen John Enenche, was said to be in a meeting. But in a text message, Enenche said: “In a meeting, ask of my Deputy, Col. Dole, he will attend to you. Regards.”

Deputy Director, Defence Information, Col. Dole told the reporter to go directly to the director of information of the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Army, saying “ they are the only one that can speak on how much that is being spent in fighting insurgency in the North East.’’

Army Spokesman, Brig. Gen Sani Usman, when contacted, sent an SMS, saying: “Kindly send SMS.” Immediately, this reporter sent an SMS to his mobile phone and as at the time of going to the press, he is yet to reply to the message.