Agency Report
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets has indicted the former minister of aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, of selling two Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) helicopters below the 25 per cent cost price.
The committee also indicted other staff of NCAT: Capt. Alkali Modibo, the former Rector; Idrisu Ibrahim, Head of Quality Assurance; Mohammed Bashir, Head of Procurement; and Ibrahim Mason, the Bursar.
Mr Adeyemi Apata, the unlicensed auctioneer, was also indicted in a report submitted by the committee during plenary.
Rep. Ademorin Kuye, the chairman of the committee, said this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja after months of investigation by the committee.
According to him, each helicopter was purchased for the sum of $2,400,000.00, while the two Bell helicopters were auctioned for $1,200,000.00.
He said that the investigation revealed that the process that led to the sale of the two helicopters did not follow due process.
He said that the committee investigated the circumstances that surrounded the sale of the two helicopters and submitted the report during the plenary session on Oct. 24.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two helicopters were Bell 206-2206 L4 5N-BZB, S/N: 52421, manufactured in Sept. 2010, and Bell 206-206 L4 BZC, S/N: 5242, manufactured in May 2011.
The helicopters were sold to two companies, Blue Horn Aviation Services and Premier Jets Services.
Kuye said that the committee, in its reports, urged the Nigeria Police and relevant government agencies to take necessary actions in order to recover the two helicopters.
He said that the two helicopters were purportedly sold on May 24, 2023, which was a few days before the inauguration of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
The report stated that while the management of NCAT Zaria claimed that the two helicopters were sold as scraps, testimonies from the Nigerian Police and Army were contrary.
He said that the Army and the Nigerian Police had indicated interest in buying the helicopters but were denied the opportunity.
He said that findings revealed that the two helicopters were not scraps as claimed by the two buyers and authorities of the school.
He stated that the two helicopters were new and only flew 42 and 46 hours, respectively.
“The police said the two Bell 206 helicopters of NCAT were being maintained in the same hanger with that of the police, but the police was not aware of the sale of the two helicopters.
“Certified Institute of Auctioneers of Nigeria, in its presentation, said from their record, the auditioner engaged by the college management is not a registered member of the institute as portrayed by NCAT.”
He said, “Tresmo Services, which auctioned the helicopters, is owned by Mr. Adeyemi Apata.
Kuye faulted the authority of the college for failing to comply with the relevant rules in selecting the auctioneer.
He said that the report revealed that the sale of the two helicopters was not approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
He added that the act was aided by the management of NCAT. Zaria, adding that the transaction was tantamount to the stealing of two helicopters belonging to the Federal Government.
He said that the two helicopters were kept under the custody of NCAT L, Zaria, in Kaduna State.