Reps to probe NCAT’s illegal sale of helicopters

By Femi Ogunshola

The House of Representatives Public Assets Committee will investigate the suspected sale of two training helicopters by the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Rep. Ademorin Kuye, the committee chairman, made the announcement on Monday in Abuja.

He explained that the committee’s attention was attracted to the situation on July 30, 2023, by media reports on the alleged sale of two Bell 206L-3 helicopters.

Kuye noted that the helicopters were public assets purchased by the NCAT for the purpose of educating pilots for N1.2 billion.

“The sale of helicopters by the College of Aviation authorities in March 2023 under the pretext of underutilization has now become a symptom of the worrying trend of asset stripping.”

According to him, all MDAs slashed across all sectors of the economy towards the end of the last administration.

“This is despite the Nigerian Navy’s offer to acquire it and possibly use it to address the country’s security challenge of oil pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.”

He added that the committee also believed the assets may have been transformed for use by Nigerian police to combat banditry and insurgency in the country.

He stated that the hurry in the sales and concessions of public assets during the final days of the previous administration warranted skepticism because the alleged approval was obtained from that administration.

He stated that if there is no hidden objective, the next administration should be permitted to participate in the sale process.

He stated that the committee would look into the sale of such critical national training assets to ensure that proper procedures were followed and that the country was not taken advantage of.

NAN