Helicopter sale: Reps panel indict ex-aviation minister Sirika
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets has indicted a former minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, for allegedly aiding the illegal sale of two helicopters by the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria.
This is as the committee, chaired by the member representing Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to invite Sirika and the buyers of the helicopters for questioning and possible prosecution.
These recommendations, among others, are contained in a report exclusively obtained by Saturday PUNCH. The report was submitted to the House by the committee during Thursday’s plenary.
Recall that in 2023, NCAT, Zaria, reportedly auctioned two helicopters at N556,200,322 because of underutilisation. The Rector and Chief Executive (now former) of the institution, Capt. Alkali Modibo told journalists in Zaria that the two Bell 206 helicopters were disposed of after satisfying all due diligence.
According to the media report, Modibo explained that a Federal Government licensed auctioneer, Messrs Tresmo Nigeria Limited, was appointed to dispose of the affected helicopters sequel to the approval and valuation reports from the Federal Ministries of Aviation and Works, respectively, and the auctioneer paid N275,782,861.25 and N280,417,661.25 at the prevailing rate of N463.50 to a dollar via FGN Remita Receipt Reference numbers 3008-4333-3046 and 1008-4304-1098.
The committee, in December 2023, commenced an investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the sale of the two helicopters.
The committee’s mandate is to recover assets valued at trillions of naira and moribund public assets within and outside Nigeria and to unravel the reasons behind the hurried sale of the two helicopters without the approval of the Federal Executive Council, days before the end of the Muhammadu Buhari-led government in 2023
The two choppers, purchased at $2.4bn, were sold at $1.2bn without due process.
In its findings as contained in the submitted report, the committee said, “The act (sale of the two helicopters) was aided by Sen Hadi Sirika, the immediate past former Minister of Aviation.
Captain Alkali Modibo, the immediate former Rector of the college; Idrisu Ibrahim, Head of Quality Assurance of the College; Mohammed Musa Bashir, Head of Procurement of the College; Ibrahim Jibril Mason, the Bursar of the College and Adeyemi Apata, the unlicensed auctioneer.”
The committee resolved that “the buyers of the alleged stolen helicopters, Blue Horn Aviation Services Limited and Premier Jet Service Limited, and those that aided the transaction be invited by the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and prosecution of all found culpable.”
It also urged the IG to take over the investigation of the matter while directing the Nigeria Police Force and Federal Ministry of “To recover the two alleged stolen helicopters as soon possible and report progress and recovery to the House of Representatives for further legislative action.”
The Kuye-led committee revealed in its findings that NCAT under Modibbo “Did not seek Federal Executive Council approval for the sale of the two helicopters.
“The Chief of Army Staff who was ably represented by Major General S. I. Musa said that they were denied the opportunity to acquire the two Bell 206 Helicopters – 206 – L4 BZB and BZC – M206 – L4 from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria. He informed the committee that the drive by the Nigerian Army to acquire the two Bell 206 helicopters is part of the ongoing effort to operationalise the Nigeria Army Aviation that was established in 2014.
“He emphasised that acquiring the two Bell 206 helicopters would have been a step in the right direction to enhance the effectiveness of the ongoing Nigerian Army operations across the country, with a positive impact on national security. Nigerian Army was dismayed when the two Bell 206 Helicopters that are new and only flew 42 and 46 hours respectively were sold to two private companies (Blue Horn Services Limited and Premier Jet Services) after all the concerted efforts to acquire them were denied by the Aviation College,” the report further read.
It also quoted the Registrar, Certified Institute of Auctioneers of Nigeria, Mr Adeleke Hassan, in his presentation as telling the committee that from their record, “The auctioneer that was engaged by the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, is not a registered member of the Institute as portrayed by NCAT. He faulted the authority of the College for failing to comply with the relevant rules in selecting an auctioneer.”
“The Managing Director, Premier Jet Services, Jubril O and Blue Horn Services Limited General Manager Operations, Mr Olayinka Ogunseyi, in their brief oral submission claimed that the two helicopters were sold to them in scrap but acknowledged that it was the first and only helicopters the companies ever had,” it further noted.
The detailed report obtained by Saturday PUNCH was co-signed by the Chairman of the committee (Kuye) and Clerk, Cordelia Eromosele.
