Govs accept withdrawal of $1bn from ECA to fight terrorism, others
Barely one week after a security official of the African Union (AU), warned African nations to brace up surveillance against returning Islamic State’s (ISIS) fighters after the liberation of Iraq and Syria, the National Economic Council (NEC), on Thursday concurred with the Federal Government to withdraw $1bn from the $2.3bn currently in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) and use it to fight insurgency in the North East and other parts of the country.
Already, there are fears that the terrorists are likely to align with currently leading cells of terror groups operating in parts of Africa to deepen carnage and destruction of properties in countries of their insurgencies.
Apart from Boko Haram currently creating havocs in the North East in the last five years, there are other deadly terror rings in Africa including Al-Shabab in East Africa, Libyan terror gangs and another group operating in Northern Mali.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the council presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The council chaired by the Vice-President has all state governors as members.
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, who addressed State House Correspondents after the meeting, made it clear that council members expected that the money would be spent on the purchase of security equipment, procurement of intelligence and logistics, among others.
