Why Is the Tinubu Presidency Planning to Spend N3.3 Billion on Vehicles and N115 Million on Tyres in 2026 Amid Calls for Government Prudence?

A review of Nigeria’s 2026 budget reveals that the Tinubu Presidency intends to spend N3.3 billion on vehicle procurement and replacements, with N115 million specifically allocated for tyres. According to the budget proposal, N2.5 billion is earmarked for the acquisition of State House operational vehicles, while N758 million is designated for replacing SUVs. Tyres for bullet-proof vehicles, ambulances, SUVs, and other operational vehicles are budgeted at N115 million, though comparisons with 2025 spending are difficult due to incomplete public data.

In 2025, N3.6 billion was set aside for operational vehicle purchases, and another N1 billion for SUV replacements. Reports from the Govspend public payments portal reveal that in 2024, the Presidency spent N366 million on tyres over three days, highlighting continued high expenditures on State House vehicles. Notably, N5.1 billion was spent on vehicle procurement between August 18 and September 9, 2024, including N3.4 billion for sixteen Toyota Prado vehicles and N1.7 billion for ten Toyota Camry V4 models, implying costs of N212 million per Prado.

This ongoing spending on SUVs and operational vehicles comes amid growing calls for fiscal prudence and transparency in government resource management. Analysts and civil society groups have raised concerns over the prioritization of luxurious vehicle procurement in a period of economic challenges, especially when compared to other critical areas of national expenditure.

The 2026 budget allocations for State House vehicles and tyres underscore a continued trend of heavy expenditure on presidential mobility and security infrastructure, reflecting both operational needs and ongoing debate over cost-effectiveness and accountability in Nigeria’s federal spending.


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“Ondo Government Plans N2.4 Billion Luxury Cars for Lawmakers Amid Judiciary Strike Crisis”

The Ondo State government, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has proposed a N2.4 billion budget allocation for the purchase of luxury vehicles for lawmakers, raising public concerns amid an ongoing judiciary strike over poor welfare and financial autonomy.
According to the 2026 budget documents:
N2.16 billion is earmarked for 27 Fortuner Jeeps for members of the House of Assembly and the Clerk of the House.
An additional N245 million is designated for vehicles for the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Majority Leader, while N85 million is allocated for the Deputy Speaker alone.
The total proposed expenditure on lawmakers’ vehicles amounts to N2.4 billion.
Further, N765 million is set aside for renovations of the Assembly Complex and official lodges, including N485 million for the Assembly Complex and N280 million for residential quarters.
These lavish spending plans have drawn criticism as court activities remain paralyzed across Ondo State. The situation escalated when magistrates and Grade ‘A’ customary court presidents began an indefinite strike, later joined by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), citing unfulfilled welfare promises and continued undermining of judicial financial autonomy.
SaharaReporters’ review of the 2025 budget reveals a similar trend, with N2 billion previously allocated for luxury vehicles, including armoured cars for the governor and Toyota Prados for top officials, while critical sectors like rural water, sanitation, and local security outfits saw minimal to zero expenditure. For instance:
N2.3 billion was budgeted for Amotekun, the state’s local security outfit, but zero was spent.
Only N309 million was spent on the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency.
Additionally, the House of Assembly planned N200 million for telephone charges, averaging N16 million per month or N533,333 per day, highlighting a pattern of prioritizing lawmakers’ perks over public welfare.
This budgetary allocation comes as the Ondo judiciary demands urgent intervention from the government to restore financial autonomy, improve welfare conditions, and resume court activities, stressing that the ongoing strike has left justice inaccessible to the citizens.

Kaduna Police Arrest Suspected Bandits After 11-Years Manhunt.

The Kaduna State Police Command on Friday announced the arrest of a notorious bandit leader who had been on the run for over a decade, alongside three suspected motorcycle thieves across the state.

The command said it recovered a cache of sophisticated firearms, ammunition, a stolen Toyota Prado SUV and two motorcycles during its recent operations.

The arrested bandit identified as Mati Bagio, a 34-year-old resident of Unguwan Galadima in Shika District, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was said to have led a criminal gang that terrorised communities across Kaduna and Katsina States for years.

In a statement, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, said Bagio was apprehended by detectives attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit led by CSP Sani Zuntu following credible intelligence.

He said Bagio had been on the police wanted list for 11 years for alleged involvement in multiple attacks in Giwa, Hunkuyi, Faskari, Dandume, and Funtua Local Government Areas spanning both Kaduna and Katsina States.

According to Hassan, the suspect was arrested at his residence where police operatives recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition.

“On 18th July 2025, at about 0530 hours, acting on credible intelligence, a team of detectives led by the Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit CSP Sani Zuntu, successfully tracked and arrested a notorious gang leader popularly known as Mati Bagio 34-year-old male of Unguwan Galadima of Shika district, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

“The suspect, is a notorious bandit leader who terrorized Kaduna and Katsina states along Giwa, Hunkuyi, faskari, Dandume and Funtua local governments Areas, he has been on the run for the past eleven years, he was just apprehended at his residence, where a significant cache of arms and ammunition was recovered,” he added.
Items recovered from the suspect, he said, include: “One AK-47 rifle; One fabricated AK-47 rifle; One pump-action gun; Two English pistols; two AK-47 magazines; two LAR rifle magazines; four fabricated AK-47 butts; four AK-47 live ammunition rounds; ten pump-action cartridges; eighty-seven roundsof pistol ammunition; one machete; two torchlights; one unjamming rod.