Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the release of $1 billion for the procurement of security equipment to fight Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.
This was even as he has ordered efforts to be intensified to secure the safe release of Leah Sharibu, the Dapchi schoolgirl still being held by Boko Haram because she refused to renounce Christianity.
Governors from Nigeria’s 36 states had, in December 2017, approved the withdrawal of $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account by the federal government to be used in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east.
The approval was given at 83rd National Executive Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, said the meeting was to review the security situation in the country.
Details later…