The Sokoto State Executive Council has approved over N5 billion for various infrastructure and public service enhancement projects, including N1.4 billion for bulletproof vehicles and luxury SUVs for the Office of the Governor.
Breakdown of Approved Projects
Officials disclosed the decisions after the council meeting on Wednesday, April 13, in Sokoto. Governor Ahmad Aliyu presided over the meeting.
Commissioners from the ministries of Land and Housing, Youth and Sports, Finance, and Transportation briefed journalists on the approvals granted by the cabinet.
NYSC Camp Rehabilitation
Among the major approvals is N1.079 billion for the rehabilitation of the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in the state.
Vehicle Procurement for Governor's Office
The council sanctioned N1.4 billion for vehicles assigned to the Office of the Governor. The package includes three bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles, two Toyota Prado SUVs, and a coaster bus.
Road Rehabilitation and Transport Projects
To strengthen public transportation, the council approved N438 million for the purchase of six buses under the state's mass transit scheme.
The International Conference Centre will undergo renovation at a cost of N733.2 million, while the Ministry of Environment received approval for N340.5 million to acquire two payloaders for sanitation operations.
Road infrastructure accounted for a significant share of the spending plan. The executive council approved N2.2 billion for the rehabilitation of 36 roads in different parts of the state. An additional N894.6 million was approved for work on the Airport Road project.
Livestock Centre Funding
The council further approved N398.6 million for the development of a livestock centre expected to support animal production and stimulate related economic activities.
According to the commissioners, the projects align with the administration's plans to improve infrastructure, transportation, environmental management, and public service delivery across Sokoto state.
Comparison with Kwara State Spending
In a separate development, the Kwara state government spent a total of N447 million on both local and international trips within the first quarter of 2025, despite failing to attract a single naira in foreign grants during the same period. This revelation is based on the state's 2025 first-quarter performance report, which was officially released on April 28, 2025.
According to the report's data, the state earmarked a substantial sum under the Travel and Transport General category for the 2025 fiscal year. Out of the N6.77 billion budgeted for this purpose, N447,062,541 had already been spent within the year's first three months.
A closer analysis of the expenditure reveals that the government allocated N1.26 billion for local travel and transport related explicitly to training. From this amount, N126.5 million was utilised in Q1. Additionally, another N191 million was set aside for local travel categorised as Others, of which N21.4 million had already been spent.
For international travel, the numbers were even more telling. Under the International Travel and Transport: Training category, the government allocated N60 million, but recorded zero spending in the first quarter. However, under International Travel and Transport: Others, a whopping N5.26 billion was budgeted, and N299 million was spent in just three months.
Security Incident in Sokoto
Earlier, bandits invaded Garin Faji village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto state. The attack left a man and his young daughter dead, while several others were taken away. Residents said the attackers came late at night and moved on foot. They reportedly left their motorcycles far from the village so the sound would not alert people.
