Reps vow to recover two NCAT helicopters sold to private

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The House of Representatives on Thursday vowed to recover two Bell helicopters belonging to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, sold to private individuals in 2023.

Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets, Hon. Ademorin Kuye, issued the notice in Abuja during the resumed investigative hearing into the sale of the two helicopters.

Hon. Kuye, who expressed concern over the sale of the two helicopters to private individuals, queried the rationale behind the sale of the helicopters while the college was left with no helicopter for training.

Other lawmakers who spoke during the investigative hearing also queried the processes leading to the sale of the helicopters, as representatives of various security agencies, namely the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Navy, and the Nigeria Police, confirmed that they indicated an interest in purchasing them.

According to the documents submitted to the Committee, the security agencies did not only indicate interest in purchasing the helicopters in writing but also visited the college but were denied the opportunity to do so.

While responding to inquiries made by the lawmakers, the Acting NCAT Rector, Mr. Shaka Imalighwe, said that though he was the Deputy Rector of the College at the time the helicopters were sold, he disclosed that he was not part of the team or committee that facilitated the sales of the helicopters.

Mr. Imalighwe further informed the Committee that he took over the management of the college in an acting capacity in January 2024.

This, according to him, was in respect of the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the Ministry of Aviation, as well as a newspaper publication advertising the intention to sell the helicopters.

Imalighwe further informed the Committee that the two helicopters were in service and being maintained by relevant aviation bodies when they were sold.

The acting rector also confirmed to the lawmakers that, at the moment, there was no single helicopter in the institution for training.

Worried by the failure of NCAT management to provide relevant documents regarding the process that led to the sale of the helicopters in May 2023, the lawmakers unanimously resolved to invite the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.

Also expected to appear before the Committee during the next investigative hearing day are officials of the Federal Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), as well as past and present NCAT Rectors, among others.

Worried by the development, the lawmakers argued that it was wrong for NCAT to have used an unlicensed auctioneer to sell the helicopters.

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