The House of Representatives has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to take over the investigation of alleged indiscriminate sale of two helicopters by the Nigeria College of Aviation. Technology, NCAT.
Its Committee on Public Assets came to the conclusion after about five hours of interaction with the management of the College and other relevant bodies.
In December, 2023, the House launched an investigation into the state of public assets in the country.
Its mandate is to recover assets moribund public assets within and outside Nigeria estimated to cost trillions of naira.
The management team of NCAT, representatives of the Nigerian Army and others appeared before the committee to unravel crucial reasons behind the hurried sale of two helicopters without the approval of the Federal Executive Council, just a few days to the end of the Buhari administration in 2023.
The Committee is worried that the two choppers bought at $2.4 billion were sold at $1.2 billion without due process.
The lawmakers also queried the use of an unlicensed auctioneer who failed to provide the needed response to enquiries
Put on oath, the officials of the College took turns to substantiate their reasons for the controversial sale.
But the Nigerian Army said its request to make use of the helicopters in the fight against terrorism, was turned down.
The Nigerian Army wants the Two helicopters recovered
The legislators described the document before them as an afterthought.
The Committee gave its verdict at the end of the session that lasted for more than five hours.
For allegedly providing false information on oath, the Committee directed the immediate arrest of the unlicensed auctioneer and NCAT’s Director of Quality Control by the Police in the National Assembly.
