Some
stakeholders in the aviation industry and civil society groups have
called on the nation’s anti-corruption agencies to investigate the
purchase of two bulletproof vehicles for the Minister of Aviation, Mrs
Stella Oduah.
The vehicles valued at a whopping
$1.6m(about N225m) were said to have been delivered to Oduah in August
by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
But the aviation industry stakeholders
and the groups, in separate interviews with our correspondents on
Thursday, said their calls for a probe were necessary in order to
identify and prosecute those behind the controversial deal.
The aviation stakeholders are the
Airline Operators of Nigerian and Air Transport Services Senior Staff
Association of Nigeria.
AON, through its Assistant General
Secretary, Mr. Muhammed Tukur, described the purchase of the bulletproof
cars as unfortunate, saying it showed the high level of corruption
in Nigeria .
It said, “This shows how bad things
have gone in this country; that the minister has admitted to receiving
the cars from the NCAA reveals that they do not care for the people
of this country.
“We can see that all these people and
parastatals use their offices to siphon funds for anything they want.
We think there is no other option but for her (Oduah) to resign her
appointment as the aviation minister.
“Also, we call on the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission to thoroughly investigate the issue,
because, some of us had foresight of these things, and we know that
there are more coming up soon.”
The ATSSSAN said the ‘necessary
government agencies’ should not hesitate to prosecute anyone found to
have played a role in the purchase of the bulletproof cars.
“We have government agencies that can
look into such issues as this such as the EFCC. So, these agencies
should look into the matter, and if they find out that it is indeed
true, they should take the appropriate action,” its National President,
Mr. Ben Okewu, told one of our correspondents.
Also, WACI, through its Executive
Director, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, argued that the procurement of the
bulletproof vehicles showed the level of culture of impunity in the
country.
It therefore called on the EFCC and
other anti-graft agencies to conduct a holistic investigation into the
issue with a view to prosecuting those found culpable in the Aviation
ministry and the NCAA.
It said, “If it is true that the NCAA
bought the said bulletproof cars for that amount, because it is not the
prerogative of the NCAA to do so, it shows the impunity in the society.
“Impunity is on the rise in this country; people do whatever they like.
“There should be a painstaking
investigation of the NCAA and the ministry and anybody found culpable
should be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others. The EFCC and
other anti-corruption agencies should ensure that the matter is
investigated thoroughly.”
On its part, CACOL noted that Oduah,
in order to satisfy her ostentatious lifestyle, had by accepting the
cars compromised the safety of Nigerians.
Its Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran,
said, “ When the minister asked NCAA to buy her bulletproof cars
worth $1.6m because of alleged threats to her life. Where did she
expect them to get the money?
“She expected them to compromise
standard of course. It is now clear that the frequent air accidents are
products of corruption and incompetence in our aviation sector.”
It called on the anti-graft agencies to “investigate the matter and prosecute anyone found to have abused their office.”
Also, a former member of the House of
Representatives, Mr. Uche Onyeagucha, said the amount involved in the
purchase of the cars for Oduah was beyond the approval limit of the
minister and the NCAA.
This, according to him, calls for
finding out if a request for the purchase of the vehicles was
forwarded to the Federal Executive Council or not.
Onyeagucha said the number of past and present political office holders in the country using bulletproof cars was outrageous.
He urged Nigerian leaders to learn from
the Mexico experience where most of the people using bulletproof cars
had been killed.
The PUNCH learnt in Abuja that the NCAA also spent millions of naira on 13 Prado jeeps and 21 Corolla cars for its directors and general managers.
One of our correspondents gathered that the jeeps were bought for the directors and the corolla cars for the general managers.
A senior official of the agency who
pleaded for anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the
press on the issue, admitted that the purchase of the cars and jeeps
was an anomaly.
He however said it was a practice that was not confined to the aviation ministry alone.
PUNCH
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