From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets has said it would probe the alleged sale of two training helicopters by the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria.
The committee, in a statement by its chairman, Ademorin Kuye, on Monday said it is aware of media reports on Sunday, July 30, on the purported sale of 2 Bell 206L-3 helicopters which were acquired for training pilots by the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Zaria for N1.2 billion.
The Committee noted that “the Sale of the Helicopters under the pretext of underutilization by the authorities of the College of Aviation in March 2023, has now become a symptom of the worrying trend of asset stripping in all sectors of the economy by all MDAs toward the twilight of the last administration.”
It added that “this is despite the offer of Nigerian Navy to acquire same and possibly use to address the security challenges facing the country in the area of oil pipeline vandalization and crude oil theft. The committee equally feels the assets could have been converted to the use of Nigerian Police to fight banditry and insurgency in the country.
“The urgency in the sales and concession of public assets at the twilight of the last administration calls for suspicion since the supposed approval was gotten from that administration, and it is only right that the new regime is allowed to be part of the completion of the sale process if there is no hidden agenda.
“Therefore, the House Committee on Public Assets as constituted will investigate the sale of these important training national assets to ensure that due process is followed and that the country is not shortchanged in this deal”.