The House of Representatives has commenced an investigation into the sale of two training helicopters by the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, at a significant discount of less than 20 per cent of their original cost.
The helicopters, identified as a Bell 206L4 BZB and a Bell M2061-L4, were purportedly sold for $650,000 and $550,000 respectively in May 2023, reportedly with approvals from the Federal Ministry of Works and Ministry of Aviation.
During a session in Abuja, officials from NCAT faced intense scrutiny from the House of Reps. Committee on Public Procurement. Committee Chairman Rep. Ademorin Kuye expressed dismay over NCAT’s decision to sell the helicopters at such a steep discount.
Vice Chairman Rep. Ismailia Dabo raised concerns about potential financial irregularities, highlighting the absence of registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and certification from the Institute of Auctioneers in Nigeria by the company responsible for the auction.
The House committee also accused NCAT of failing to remit the proceeds from the sales to the Federal Government’s single Treasury account and using outdated exchange rates. They demanded NCAT’s management return for further questioning and requested the presence of the auctioneer, along with all pertinent transaction documents.
Additionally, the House called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to provide details of the exchange rate during the transaction period in May 2023.
Despite reported interest from certain national security organizations following news of the helicopter sale, NCAT’s management allegedly disregarded their concerns.
The committee further alleged that NCAT sold the helicopters to companies not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
During the session, Shaka Imalighwe, the acting Rector of NCAT, requested permission from the committee to have the head of quality assurance and procurement for the aviation college address the sale of the two training helicopters. Imalighwe clarified that he was not involved in the sale process as he assumed the role of acting rector on December 20, 2023, and officially received handover on January 18.
