Alleged Purchase Of N10bn Worth Bulletproof Cars, Amid Hardship: CBN Governor, Deputies Keep Mum

ABUJA, FCT, NIGERIA – The Central Bank of Nigeria has kept mum days after a report emerged that its Governor, Olayemi Cardoso and four Deputy Governors acquired six ultra-modern armored vehicles worth N10 billion despite the present hardship Nigerians are going through.

It would be recalled that the Daily Nigerian on August 30, 2024, reported that Cardoso and deputy governors, Mr. Philip Ikeazor, Emem Nnan Usoro, Bala Bello, and Muhammad Sani Abdullahi purchased six armoured Lexus LX 600 2023.

The report said that Cardoso got two for himself while the four deputies received one each.

The procurement comes despite the governors already having SUVs as part of their convoy, the publication stated.

Similarly, the governors had been alleged to have jacked up their housing allowances to over N1 billion.

However, days after the report, the Spokesperson of CBN, Sidi Hakama has yet to confirm nor dismiss the claims.

Also, CBN has yet to speak on the matter on its official X handle, as well as website, DAILY POST gathered on Sunday.

The development comes nearly a year after Cardoso was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on September 15, 2023.

DAILY POST reports that since the appointment of Cardoso, the Monetary Policy Committee has continued to tighten measures.

The latest was the increase of interest rate to 26.75 percent in July 2024.

This comes as the country’s inflation rate declined to 33.40 in July 2024 from 34.19 in June 2023.

However, despite the drop in inflation, the prices of goods have remained significantly high as the naira to dollar exchange rate stood at N1598.56 and N1645 in official and parallel foreign exchange markets on Friday, August 30, 2024.