SOKOTO — At a time when nine out of ten residents in Sokoto State live below the poverty line, Governor Ahmed Aliyu has ignited a fierce national debate following the procurement of 2026 model Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SUVs for the state’s 23 Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen.
The fleet, estimated to have cost nearly ₦3 billion, features vehicles priced at approximately ₦125 million each. While the administration defends the move as necessary for “administrative efficiency,” critics argue the expenditure is a jarring display of “elite excess” in a state currently grappling with a humanitarian crisis and persistent banditry.
A Tale of Two Sokotos
The purchase comes just days after the Governor signed the ₦759 billion 2026 “People’s Budget” into law. While the budget allocates significant sums to health and education, the ₦3 billion spent on luxury SUVs has become a lightning rod for those questioning the government’s priorities:
- The Security Trade-off: With Sokoto facing a ₦45.2 billion security deficit in 2026, analysts point out that ₦3 billion could have purchased over 100 high-spec patrol vehicles for local vigilantes or funded advanced early-warning systems in terror-prone communities.
- The Education Gap: The funds could have provided ₦1 million grants to 3,000 primary schools or covered the cost of learning materials for hundreds of thousands of students currently studying in dilapidated classrooms.
- Maternal Health:Â In a state with high infant mortality, the SUV money could have subsidized maternal care for thousands of women or equipped dozens of rural health centres with life-saving diagnostic tools.
‘Almajirization’ and the Vanishing Middle Class
The Sokoto luxury car scandal has been linked to the broader national outcry over the “Almajirization” of Nigeria, where public funds appear to favor the political class while the masses survive on palliatives.
The expenditure contrasts sharply with the viral video of a young lady lamenting that pepper and onions for a single meal now cost ₦2,500 and the ₦400/month rent in Makoko.
Echoes of National Discontent
Opposition figures have been quick to contrast Governor Aliyu’s “Prado Politics” with the recent private jet controversy involving Senator Adams Oshiomhole. It also adds weight to Pastor Folu Adeboye’s plea for the government to address the “too much suffering” in the land.
Furthermore, the timing is sensitive as former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal continues to trade words with the current administration over the ₦117 billion misappropriation report.
Government Defence
Defenders of the Governor maintain that the 2026 budget is 72% capital-oriented and that the LGA chairmen require reliable transportation to oversee projects in rural areas. However, as the national debt surges past ₦121 trillion, many residents feel that a “patriotic national assignment” should begin with austerity at the top.
This is as critical gaps in Sokoto’s primary healthcare (PHC) infrastructure and staffing persist, even as the state government proceeds with its ₦3 billion luxury vehicle procurement. While the administration claims a “revival” with 824 operational centres, independent assessments reveal a “crumbling foundation” at the grassroots.
The Healthcare Deficit: Data vs. Rhetoric
Recent investigations and state-wide surveys highlight the dire conditions of Sokoto’s rural health facilities:
- Infrastructure Collapse: Over 60% of Sokoto’s 793 registered PHCs lack basic infrastructure, staffing, and supplies required to deliver minimal care. A 2024 survey of 53 facilities found that 25 were in poor condition, directly contributing to an estimated 1,954 patient deaths in a single year.
- Critical Equipment Gaps: Only 20% of Nigeria’s PHCs—with Sokoto ranking among the bottom three states—are capable of providing basic emergency obstetric care. In Sokoto, half of the surveyed centres face shortages of essential supplies, including oxygen, thermometers, and fridges for vaccines.
- Abandoned Centres: Some facilities, like the Tandamare PHC, have been reportedly abandoned for over five years, lacking doctors, equipment, or even hospital beds.
Staffing Crisis and Rural Neglect
Despite a ₦122.7 billion health budget for 2026, personnel shortages remain a significant hurdle:
- Manpower Disparities: There is a 30.05% disparity between assigned and active health workers in the state. Most PHCs lack doctors, and only 31 out of 53 surveyed facilities remain open on weekends.
- Mandatory Rural Service: To correct a severe over-concentration of workers in urban areas, the state has introduced a mandatory two-year rural service scheme for all government-sponsored medical professionals.
- Recruitment Drive: In November 2025, the government approved the recruitment of 2,440 Community Health Workers to be deployed across the state’s 244 wards to bolster grassroots services.
Political Context: Spending vs. Outcomes
The decision to spend nearly ₦3 billion on Toyota Prados for LGA chairmen has drawn criticism for its opportunity cost. Analysts suggest these funds could have equipped dozens of rural centres that currently rely on unsafe water and lack functional ambulances (of which only 7 out of 53 surveyed PHCs possessed one).
While the government recently distributed medical equipment and ambulances to general hospitals, the maternal mortality rate in Sokoto—standing at 1,200 deaths per 100,000 live births—remains more than double the national average, underscoring the urgent need for investment in primary healthcare.
–
