The House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets has recommended in its report that the two Bell 206 Helicopters belonging to Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria, Kaduna State which were sold to two private companies at an amount below 25% of cost price be immediately recovered.
The committee said the process that led to the sale of the two helicopters did not follow due process.
In an interview with journalists on Friday, Chairman, House Committee on Public Assets, Hon. (Barr ) Ademorin Kuye said his committee commenced investigation into the controversial sale of the two helicopters and submitted the report during the plenary session of the House of Representatives on Thursday 24th October, 2024.
He said the commencement of investigation to ascertain the circumstance surrounding the sale of the two Bell 206 Helicopters – 206 L4 5N-BZB, S/N: 52421 manufactured September 2010, and Bell 206 L4 BZC, S/N: 5242 manufactured May 2011;
was in pursuant to Section 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which empowers the National Assembly to carry out investigation on any matter.
In the report which was presented to the Green Chamber on Thursday, a copy
which was seen by this medium tasked the Nigeria Police and relevant government agencies to take necessary actions in order to recover the two helicopters sold to two companies, Blue Horn Aviation Services and Premier Jets Services.
The report said the two helicopters were purportedly sold on 24th May, 2023 few days to the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu government.
According to the report, each helicopter was purchased at the sum of $2,400,000.00 (Two Million, Four Hundred Thousand US Dollars) while
the two Bell Helicopter were auctioned at $1,200,000.00.
The report stated that while the management of Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, claimed that the two helicopters were sold as scraps, the testimonies from Nigerian Police and Army which indicated interest to buy them but were denied the opportunity, confirmed that the two helicopters were not scraps as claimed by the two buyers and authorities of the school. They added that the two helicopters are new and only flew 42 and 46 hours respectively.
The police according to the report 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.
According to the report, Certified Institute of Auctioneers of Nigeria in its presentation said from their record, the auditioner, Tresmo Services owns by Adeyemi Apata engaged by the college management is not a registered member of the Institute as portrayed by NCAT. He faulted the authority of the college that failed to comply with the relevant rules in selecting auctioneer.
The Public Assets Committee report said that the sale of the two helicopters was not approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) but the act was aided by:
Captain Alkali M. Modibo, the immediate former Rector of the college; Sen. Hadi Sirika, the immediate former Minister of Aviation; 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 report said the transaction was tantamount to stealing of two helicopters belonging to Federal Government of Nigeria, kept under the custody of Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, Kaduna State.