The controversy trailing the purchase of two
BMW armoured cars for the minister of
aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, has taken a
ridiculous dimension.
The agency at the centre of the controversial
purchase of the bulletproof vehicles and the
nation’s civil aviation body, the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority, NCAA, has denied that it
has documents relating to the acquisition of
the bulletproof vehicles.
The development came as indications emerged
that Oduah may be barred from attending the
weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC)
meetings until the conclusion of
investigations.
Curiously, NCAA’s denial which came after a
seven-day ultimatum given to it by a human
rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), to
furnish his law firm with information
pertaining to the transaction also contradicts
its statement before the House of
Representatives Committee on Aviation that
the procurement of the “operational vehicles”
was provided for in the NCAA’s budget.
Falana had last week invoked the provision of
the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act when he
wrote the NCAA director-general, Mr Fola
Akinkuotu, demanding the documents,
including those of budgetary approval and due
process for the whole transaction as well as
all the papers of past acquisition of such
armoured cars by the aviation ministry or the
NCAA as claimed by Akinkuotu.
But in its reply to the request dated October
23, 2013, through the NCAA legal adviser, Mr
E.K Chukwuma, Akinkuotu said documents
relating to the latest purchase or even
previous purchases of such cars are not in the
possession of the NCAA.
The letter obtained by LEADERSHIP yesterday
reads: “I am directed to your letter dated 21st
October 2013 on the above matter (Request
for information on N255m armoured cars for
Aviation Minister, Ms Stella Oduah) and to
inform you that the Nigerian Civil Aviation
Authority is not in possession of any
document relating to the purchase of
armoured cars for the Aviation Minister, Ms
Stella Oduah.
“With regard to your request for records of
previous purchase of armoured cars by the
Aviation Ministry or NCAA, I am to inform you
that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority does
not have such records.”
Not satisfied, Falana noted yesterday that he
would relate this latest position of the NCAA
to the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, as a back-up to a petition
he had written to it.
The letter from Falana to NCAA demanding
the document had stated: “In your press
conference at Abuja held on Friday, October
18, 2013, you did admit that the Nigerian
Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) actually
bought the controversial armoured cars and
that ‘it is customary’ to convey the Minister
and visiting dignitaries in security vehicles
whenever they are in Nigeria.
“In the light of your claim at the said press
conference, we are compelled to request you
to make available to us certified true copies of
the documents relating to the purchase of the
cars, including budgetary approval and due
process for the entire transaction.
“Since you claimed that it is customary to
purchase such cars for Aviation Minister and
visiting foreign dignitaries, you are also
requested to provide the records of previous
purchase of armoured cars by the Aviation
Ministry or the NCAA. Take notice that you
are mandatorily required to supply the
requested information within SEVEN DAYS of
the receipt of this letter by virtue of the
provisions of the Freedom of Information Act,
2011.”
Armoured cars also missing in NSA’s security
list
The controversial bulletproof cars for Stella
Oduah are not on the national security
adviser’s (NSA) official list of armoured cars
available anywhere in Nigeria.
Ordinarily, NO car dealer or end user,
including private individuals, security agencies
and government parastatals, can bring in
armoured cars into the country without
obtaining end user certificates from the office
of the NSA in Abuja.
Reporting that no authorization certificate
was
ever issued to either the minister or the NCAA
to procure the controversial vehicles, a source
said: “ We have thoroughly checked our list
and I can confirm that at no time did we issue
end user certificate to anyone to procure any
such cars. It is likely the cars do not exist and
that the documents were either forged to steal
public funds.
“But if the cars indeed exist, the minister, the
NCAA and Coscharis Motors will have to
explain why they sneaked vehicles into our
country without authorisation. It is a serious
violation, and the minister and other people
involved have a lot of explanations to
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