Osinbajo clarifies purpose of $1bn from ECA, claims it’s not for B’Haram fight alone

As controversies continue to trail the $1 billion state governors approved for the Federal Government to withdraw from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), VIce President Yemi Osinbajo, has explained that the money was not only meant to fight Boko Haram.

According to him, the $1 billion is to assist the security architecture of the country including policing in the states, community policing as well as other security challenges in the country.

The Vice President further noted that the governors arrived at the decision to approve the fund for national security after a national security summit organised by the National Executive Council (NEC) about two months ago.

He made this clarification on Tuesday during the opening of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation / Secretaries to State Governments ’ retreat at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Osinbajo added that during the summit about two months ago, issues of various security challenges across the country as kidnapping, small arms trafficking, terrorist activities of Boko Haram in the North East, clashes between herdsmen and farmers, as well as cattle rustling were all considered.

“It was on account of the security summit that the governors at the Governors’ Forum subsequently decided that they would vote a certain sum of money, which has become somewhat controversial, the $1 bn, to assist the security architecture of the country .

“It was to assist all of the issues in the states, including policing in the states, community policing, all of the different security challenges that we have.

“It was after the security summit that the Governors’ Forum met across party lines – again, I must add — in order to approve and to accept that this is what needed to be done to shore up our security architecture,” Osinbajo said.

The efforts by Osinbajo to clear the controversies that have continued to trail the $1 billion ECA fund contradicts the statement by Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki as regards the reason the governors approved the money.

Obaseki had last Thursday after the NEC meeting presided over by Osinbajo, told State House correspondents that the $1 billion was approved for the fight against insurgency in the North-east.

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“Pleased with the achievements that have been made till date in the fight against insurgency, particularly in the North-east, the governors of Nigeria through their chairman announced at the NEC meeting that the governors have given permission to the Federal Government to spend the sum of $1 billion on the fight of insurgency .

“This money is supposed to be taken from the Excess Crude Account. As you know, the issue of security, particularly with regard to the North-east, is a very comprehensive response by federal forces.

“So, we expect that the contribution of the states to these efforts will cover the whole array of activities required to secure the country and counter insurgency. We expect that the amount will include but not limited to purchase of equipment, procuring intelligence and logistics and all what is required to ensure that we finally put an end to the scourge of insurgence,” Obaseki had said.

 

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