Stakeholders in the aviation industry have called for the prosecution of anyone involved in the alleged sale of two training helicopters owned by the Nigerian College of Aviation and Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State.
The helicopters were said to have been bought for the college by the federal government during the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
It was alleged that the two helicopters were sold at giveaway prices and shipped to the United States of America.
According to sources within the college, informations surrounding the transaction of the helicopters, Bell 206L4 BZB and Bell M2061-L4, were shrouded in secrecy.
It was gathered that the choppers,were sold to private individuals for less than five per cent of their original cost.
The sourced added that the aircraft were allegedly dismantled at the executive jet hangar in Lagos airport before it was moved to Florida, United States of America.
In his reaction to the development, Mr Olumide Ohunayo, the general secretary of Aviation Round Table Initiative (ARTI), called for the prosecution of those involved in the alleged sale of the aircraft.
Ohunayo said he was backing a probe by the House of Representatives, adding that the helicopters must either be returned as a whole or the correct amount paid into the government account.
“The sales obviously didn’t go through the due process and maybe during the time of purchase they didn’t do due diligence of what was appropriate for the school.
“The sales of these helicopters didn’t go through the normal procedure, and the House of Representatives has started probing it. I support the probe and there is a need to dig deeper.
“It’s either they bring back the aircraft or the funds are returned into the government coffers. It’s sad to see that public officers didn’t see the consequences of their actions while in office, and that’s why they boldly misappropriate public funds.
“They must face consequences of their actions, and not only the minister but agency heads involved; so any agency that was used for such inappropriate act and didn’t object with viable documentary evidence should go along in the team that must be prosecuted,” he said.
Also, the chief executive officer of Centurion Aviation, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd.), said the sale of the choppers should be thoroughly investigated to know how culpable the actors are.
According to him, Nigerians need to know who ordered the sales of the choppers and at what price.
“There is a need to know those who did these things. At the beginning, did NCAT request the choppers? Yes, they did. These are the things we should ask. Who in the government approved the sales? The government belongs to us. We have administration and agency, and we have people working on it.
“Somebody bought the aircraft; we need to know who sold it and who ordered the sales.
“I know that NCAT cannot buy anything on its own without appropriation. Appropriation must come from the budget, so why will someone take away what they asked for? That is why we need to find the answer,” Ojikutu said.
