How Ex-Minister Sold Two Nigeria Helicopters With Approval – Reps

A recent investigation by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets has implicated ex-Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika in the sale of two helicopters belonging to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria.

The committee’s report, submitted to the House during Thursday’s plenary, reveals that Sirika allegedly facilitated the sale without following due process.

The two Bell 206 helicopters, purchased for $2.4 billion, were sold for a significantly lower price of $1.2 billion.

In 2023, NCAT, under former Rector Capt. Alkali Modibo, auctioned the helicopters for N556,200,322, citing underutilization, and Modibo claimed that the sale followed all necessary procedures, including approval and valuation reports from the Federal Ministries of Aviation and Works.

However, the committee’s investigation, initiated in December 2023, discovered that the sale lacked Federal Executive Council approval, and the engaged auctioneer was unregistered, contrary to regulations.

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The undervalued sale price raised suspicions of impropriety.

The committee’s mandate includes recovering assets valued at trillions of naira and investigating moribund public assets within and outside Nigeria.

The investigation aimed to unravel the reasons behind the hurried sale without FEC approval, days before the end of the Muhammadu Buhari-led government in 2023.

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.

“The act (sale of the two helicopters) was aided by Sen Hadi Sirika, the immediate past former Minister of Aviation,” the committee stated.

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, were also implicated.

The committee urged the IG to take over the investigation of the matter while directing the Nigeria Police Force and Federal Ministry to “recover the two alleged stolen helicopters as soon as 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.”

The committee’s findings and recommendations have been forwarded to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for further investigation and action.

This development raises questions about transparency and accountability in public asset management.

The Nigerian Army had expressed interest in acquiring the helicopters to enhance national security but was denied.

Instead, the helicopters were sold to private companies, sparking concerns about the sale’s legitimacy.