On Tuesday, Nigeria’s attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, said it was his foundations that shared 200 Mercedes and Toyota SUVs to long-term workers of the NGOs and not officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi.

In an interactive session with journalists on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi, Mr Malami claimed the expensive vehicles were distributed by Khadi Malami and Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiative, non-governmental organisations he had been “associated with” over the years.

“As a person with some associates, neither I nor a friend of mine shared any vehicle to any delegate across the state,” explained Mr Malami. “Let me state categorically that some of the foundations, as Khadi Malami and Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiative I am associated with over time, have workers who have demonstrated a greater capacity in the development of the state.”

However, checks by Peoples Gazette showed that the minister founded Khadi Malami and Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiative.

According to Mr Malami, supporters of his NGOs distributed the vehicles to long-term workers in the foundation.

“In appreciation of what the workers of the associations have been doing in the state and beyond, the supporters of the associations, collectively and individually, decided to solicit for support from well-meaning Nigerians that have been supporting the NGOs in order to reward those that have been manning the affairs of the NGOs,” he disclosed.

Although Mr Malami admitted he had an interactive session with APC stakeholders some days before the vehicles were distributed, he said it was not connected to the distribution of the vehicles.

“I know I had an interactive session with APC stakeholders some days ago and had accepted calls from Kebbi people to run for the state governorship; the meeting was not for distribution of vehicles to any APC stakeholder,” he maintained. “None of the APC stakeholder or delegate in Kebbi State was given any vehicle by me, and I have not yet donated any vehicle to any delegate.”

Meanwhile, the minister claimed he faced many attacks after the vehicles were shared to the beneficiaries.

“At this moment, I have experienced a barrage of attacks, left, right and centre, some are local and others international, an attack that has to do with an allegation that I shared many expensive vehicles to delegates of APC,” he told journalists.

The Gazette had reported that the 200 vehicles comprised 60 Toyota Prado SUVs, 65 Toyota RAV4 SUVs, 35 Mercedes Benz GLK 350 SUVs and 40 Lexus LX SUVs, according to a Kebbi politician.

(NAN)