Worried by the spate of attacks by bandits, the Sokoto state government has approved the purchase of 66 brand new Hilux (2023 model) for security agencies in the state.
This was the outcome of the maiden Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Ahmed Aliyu on Friday.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, Alhaji Bashir Umarun-Kwabo, the state Commissioner for Innovation and Digital Economy, noted that this was to address the perennial security challenges in the eastern part of the state.
“Each Police Divisional headquarter across the 23 local government areas of the state will get a brand new Toyota Hilux, while the remaining will be distributed to other security agencies in the state,” he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Dr Jabir Maihula stated that, the council approved the purchase of 57,000 bags of 50kg of rice at the cost of N2.5 billion and 26,000 bags of 100kg of millet at N1.4 billion respectively.
“These are to be distributed across the state to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal and to ease the current economic hardship among the society,” he said.
The commissioner added that the state government, in collaboration with the Federal Government, had also approved the purchase and distribution of 44,000 bags of maize.
He remarked that, the government approved N3.4 billion for the purchase of 50 Toyota (18 seater buses) and 20 Toyota Camry for inter-state and local transportation.
According to him, the Toyota Camry would be reserved for only female transportation within the state.
The Commissioner of Land and Housing, Barrister Nasiru Dantsoho revealed that, council approved the construction of 500 Housing Estate at the cost of N7.4 billion.
It also approved 1.8 billion for the construction and rehablitation of roads across the state.
Similarly, Alhaji Sanusi Danfulani, the state Commissioner for Energy and Petroleum Resources, revealed that the council has approved N1.2 billion for phase 1 Solar light installation across roads and streets in the state metropolis.
