We’ve Spent Over N10b On Security In Borno - Borno State Governor

The Borno State Governor "Shettima has said whereas it has received only N200 million as Federal Government contribution to the war against Boko Haram, it has spent over 10billion Naira from its resources in providing material support for the military operation in the state. Secretary to the Borno State Government, Ambassador Baba Jidda revealed this in a transcript of a meeting held with Journalists in Lagos. A copy of the transcript was sent to The PUNCH, on Monday. The SSG said the state was forced to disclose the figures as a result of a growing campaign of calumny against the state government. He explained that it was sad that certain individuals had taken it upon themselves to misinform the public by accusing the state government of doing nothing to assist the military in its operations in the state. Jidda said “Whereas it has received only N200m contribution from the Federal Government since 2011, the Borno State Government has invested over ten billion naira in procurement of armoured personnel carriers, patrol vehicles, hundreds of trailers of petroleum products, provision of material logistics and intervention on area of accommodation to support security agencies in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.” He further explained that the State had earlier decided not to make it’s expenditure on the fight against Boko Haram public because Governor Kashim Shettima always restrained officials so as not to appear to be embarrassing the Federal Government. This, he said, was because funding security falls under the exclusive legislative list which makes it a constitutional obligation of the FG. According to him, the Governor reversed his position given series of allegations leveled against the State by mischief makers, part of which is a claim that the State was not supporting the military. “First of all, let me say we were pushed into making public, these things I am about to say. For three years we dealt with these challenges without any noise since the Government was doing it for Borno people. “Some people are being made to assume that a certain security vote is provided to State Governments, this is not true. No State gets a dime from FAAC as security vote. Every State makes its own budget it intends to spend from its own normal allocations, for security not that external fund from the Federal Government accrues to any State.” He said. He also said the amount spent on supporting the military operations does not include what it lost in terms of human lives and public infrastructure such as public building, schools, and hospitals.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE... [Breaking news] Cameroon soldiers kill 40 Boko Haram militants