The N440 million bulletproof SUV we bought is not for the Chief of Staff but for his office – Lagos Budget and Planning commissioner Ope George says

Lagos State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Ope George, has provided insights into the recently released 2023 Lagos Procurement Budget.

On Monday, November 20, Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo Olu received criticism after details of the recently published 2023 Lagos Procurement Budget made the rounds on social media. The document showed that N7.5 million was disbursed for the replacement of liquid fragrance in the governor’s office while N440 million was allocated for the purchase of a bulletproof vehicle for the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Governor.

In an interview with Arise TV on Tuesday morning November 21, Ope George stated that the aim of publishing the budget was to strive for accountability and transparency. He went on to state that the Lexus LX Bulletproof vehicle was assigned for the transportation of dignitaries, not for the Chief-of-Staff.

“The Lexus LX 600 SUV was budgeted for the office of the Chief of Staff and not for his personal use. It is meant to receive dignitaries visiting Lagos.

There are certain specifications that need to be followed when purchasing these vehicles but we also purchased certain vehicles from Volkswagen in Nigeria so we do support local vehicles and manufacturers.” he said