Wike Denies Using N300m Bullet Proof Official Car

•Promises Abuja light rail will be fixed in short time

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has denied using an armoured vehicle estimated at N300 million as his official car.

He made the rebuttal yesterday after touring the Abuja Metro Station, Idu Station and Airport Station on the Abuja Light Rail project with journalists during his first official assignment.

His denial followed a report that a Lexus LX 600 SUV with the plate number FCT 01 was acquired several weeks ago by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola for Wike, who was sworn in as minister on Monday.

“I have seen what is going on in the social media how you (FCTA Permanent Secretary) bought a bullet-proof car of N300 million that using.

“I want you people (journalists) to go and hit your hand there (on the car) and see whether it is a treated car. With all due respect, people should be careful not to destroy other people.

“When I came, the Permanent Secretary said they have a car for us and the car we use is this. I have never approved for any car to be bought and I have not used official bullet-proof car.

“Whether I have bullet proof cars as governor? Yes, as a governor, what did you expect? I should have what? But as I am not using bullet proof car as FCT Minister, so we should report the right thing and not to destroy ourselves. I want you to take a look at where you have the flag, and see whether it is a bullet-proof car,” Wike said.

Wike, who was accompanied to the metro station by the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud and Adesola identified transportation as one of the sectors he intended to transform in the short time to reduce traffic congestion within the city.

He also insisted that it was not a good idea to begin another rail project while works on Lot 1 and Lot 3 that spanned 45.245 kilometres and which was commissioned in 2018, was ongoing.

He, however, assured the people that the Abuja Light Rail project would be commissioned in the next coming months and put to public use.