Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a prominent civic group, has announced its intention to file a court injunction to prevent the Nigerian government, led by President Bola Tinubu, from receiving a fleet of 465 luxurious and bulletproof cars intended for members and senior officials of the National Assembly.
The statement came to light on Monday, in the midst of mounting controversy surrounding Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Akin Rotimi’s confirmation that each lawmaker is set to receive Toyota Prado SUVs valued at N130 million.
The allocation of these expensive vehicles has sparked public outrage due to concerns about the government’s allocation of such a substantial budget for cars at a time when Nigeria is grappling with rising inflation, widespread poverty, and the high cost of living.
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Recently, Kingsley Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), criticized the distribution of the SUVs to National Assembly members, asserting that Nigeria is being scavenged by its politicians with little regard for patriotism.
SERAP released a brief statement on its official X page (formerly Twitter), stating, “We are preparing an urgent application for an injunction to halt the delivery of 465 exotic and bulletproof cars (valued at N40 billion) to members and senior officials of Nigeria’s National Assembly. This action is pending the final decision of the lawsuit in this matter.”