The House of Representatives on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to take over the investigation into the alleged unauthorized sale of two helicopters worth $2.4 billion by the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).
During the resumed investigative hearing, which lasted over five hours, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets, Hon. Ademorin Kuye, expressed concerns over the sale of the helicopters for $1.2 billion without following due process.
“This sale, conducted without Federal Executive Council approval and just before the end of the Buhari administration in 2023, raises serious questions about the management of public assets,” said Kuye.
The House had earlier resolved in December 2023 to investigate public asset management and mandated the Committee to recover all moribund assets within and outside Nigeria, worth trillions of naira.
Appearing before the Committee were NCAT’s management, representatives of the Nigerian Army, and other key figures. The Committee criticized NCAT’s use of an unlicensed auctioneer who failed to provide adequate responses to their inquiries.
Representing the Nigerian Army, Musa Alkali, Coordinator of Nigerian Army Aviation, expressed dismay over the refusal to sell the helicopters to the Army for counter-terrorism efforts. “We urge the Committee to recover these helicopters,” said Alkali.
Hon. Midaila Balami described the documentation from NCAT as inadequate and stressed the need for a thorough investigation. Kuye ordered the immediate arrest of the unlicensed auctioneer and NCAT’s Director of Quality Control for allegedly providing false information under oath.
