By Comfort Olayinka
The House Committee on Public Assets has concluded its investigation into the disputed sale of two Bell 206 helicopters belonging to the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology. Chairman Ademorin Kuye announced that the committee has resolved that the helicopters were stolen, not sold, and has tasked the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, with recovering the assets and prosecuting those involved.
Specifically, the committee called for the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, the former Rector of the college, and all other individuals involved in the process to be invited for questioning and potentially prosecuted if found culpable.
Chairman Ademorin Kuye stated that the committee’s investigation revealed that the sale of the college’s helicopters in May 2023 failed to meet the necessary requirements. Specifically, the sale lacked Federal Executive Council approval and a ministerial approval letter.
Here’s a rewritten version with some improvements.
The committee’s investigation exposed that the auctioneer responsible for the sale was unlicensed and not registered with the Certified Institute of Auctioneers, Nigeria. Moreover, the company used by the auctioneer was registered three years prior for farm input business, such as fertilizer sales, which raises questions about its involvement in the sale of helicopters.
The committee has deemed the process a sham and is seeking recovery of the stolen assets and prosecution of those involved. The resolution states that the auctioneer’s lack of licensure and the company’s unrelated business purpose cast serious doubt on the legitimacy of the sale, leading the committee to question how such a company was authorized to facilitate the sale of helicopters.
The committee further noted that there was no advertisement to enable interested persons or organizations to participate in the bidding process and also expressed concern how new helicopters that only flew for about 42 and 46 hours will be sold at a ridiculous amount of $1,2 million to two companies belonging to one person. The lawmakers also noted that apart from denying Nigerian Army, Police, Navy and Air Force the opportunity to participate in the bidding process, the college was also left with no helicopter for training of students.
The delegation from Nigeria Army led by Maj. General S. I. Musa said they were surprised to hear that the two helicopters were sold by the aviation college despite all the efforts they made to acquire them. He said from their assessment the helicopters were not scraps as portrayed by the authorities of the NCAT. According to Maj. Gen, Musa, the two helicopters are new ones and only flew 42 and 46 hours respectively.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole who represented the Minister, Festus Keyamo said he is yet to confirm the approval letter purportedly from the ministry authorizing the sale of the two helicopters.
The committee has raised additional concerns regarding the sale of the helicopters, noting that there was no public advertisement to facilitate a transparent bidding process. Says the sale price of $1.2 million to a single individual’s two companies has been questioned, given the helicopters’ minimal usage of 42 and 46 hours.
The lawmakers have also expressed concern that the sale denied the Nigerian Army, Police, Navy, and Air Force the opportunity to participate in the bidding process and left the college without helicopters for student training.
A delegation from the Nigerian Army, led by Major General S. I. Musa, expressed surprise at the sale, having previously attempted to acquire the helicopters. The delegation disputed the characterization of the helicopters as scrap, instead assessing them as new assets with minimal usage.
Apart from calling on IGP for the ex-minister of aviation and all those involved in the controversial sale of the helicopters to be investigated, the committee during the investigative hearing ordered the detention of the officials of the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology who gave fake and conflicting testimony during the hearing while on oath. The police officers from National Assembly Police Division immediately took them away for questioning.
