Skip to main content

Wike: Seized helicopters belong to Rivers State

Rivers State Governor  Nyesom Wike said yesterday that he gave his backing to the federal government in handing over the two Bell helicopters imported by the Rivers State government to the Air Force.


The Customs Service announced on Friday that the helicopters were smuggled into the country by an  unknown  person who failed to produce end user certificate from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in contravention of Section 36 ( 2) of the Customs and Excise Management Act.
The Customs Area Comptroller, Mr. Frank Allanah, put the import duty value of the two helicopters and their  accessories at N9,757,135,240.86k.
He proceeded to hand them over to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, at a ceremony at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja.
However, Wike in a statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, in Port Harcourt said he officially wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari asking that the two helicopters  which were bought by the immediate past administration in the state be handed over to the Air Force.
He explained that his decision was informed by the high import duty and the refusal of the federal authorities to grant the State a waiver to clear the choppers.
The governor said that it was unfortunate that security agencies would resort to political propaganda and outright lies, when the facts about the helicopters are in public domain.
His words: “These helicopters were imported by the immediate past administration. When I assumed office, we wrote to the Federal government that it was strictly for security use. What am I going to use armoured helicopters for?
”In any case, where will the Rivers State Government get money at this time to import armoured helicopters? The previous administration imported it because they had the money.
”I went to the federal government to give me a waiver for us to clear the helicopters but the federal government refused.
”I wrote a letter to the president and assured him that the helicopters were meant for security purposes, they should be handed over to the Nigerian Air Force.
”I am surprised that they have started propaganda and political falsehood on the said armoured helicopters.  What kind of country are they turning Nigeria into?
”We stated that we cannot pay the custom duties because the helicopters are not for commercial use. They are to be used to monitor the creeks and track criminals.
”I wrote to the president to give the helicopters to the airforce.  It is shocking that the Customs would turn around to claim that they impounded the helicopters.
“The Chief of Staff to the President admitted that I have done well when I wrote the letter to the President.”


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Return Nigeria’s Stolen Assets, SERAP Urges Trump

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the President of the United States of America (USA), Donald Trump, to attach and release to Nigeria, some $500 million worth of US-based proceeds of corruption traced to former Nigerian dictator, late General Sani Abacha. SERAP, which made this request in an open letter it send to the US President, also urged President Trump to initiate discussions with the Nigerian government to fulfill these objectives within an agreed framework and timeline. The organisation in the letter dated 3 February 2017 and signed by the organization’s US Volunteer Counsel Professor Alexander W. Sierck and executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, also wants the Trump’s Administration to instruct the Justice Department to initiate civil asset forfeiture proceedings in regard to the $500 million in assets. SERAP further stated, “these proceeds are separate from the $480 million of Abacha-origin funds that have been forfeited to the US...
Post a Comment
Read more

Record signing, Oscar lands in Shanghai to join SIPG

 Brazilian midfielder Oscar landed in Shanghai on Monday where the 25-year-old was set to smash the Asian transfer record with a reported 60 million euros ($63 million) deal with Shanghai SIPG. Dozens of supporters chanting club songs swarmed the former Chelsea player at the city’s Pudong airport. Oscar’s arrival in the Chinese Super League comes ahead of that of Argentina’s former Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez, who signed for Shanghai Shenhua in another big-money deal last week.  Tevez’s transfer fee was 10.5 million euros, according to the website transfermarkt.com, which tracks dealings in the sport, though the reported two-year contract of 38 million euros per season ($40 million) makes him the world’s highest salaried footballer. SIPG’s general manager on Monday dismissed concerns raised by state media of a market bubble in the super-rich Chinese league, arguing prices have to be higher to attract players away from big European leagues. “The leagu...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ghanaian migrant commits suicide in Malta

A Ghanaian migrant who was facing deportation from Malta took his own life on Saturday after he was forced to "feel like a criminal" by a new immigration policy in that country. The Times of Malta   reports that, Frederick Ofosu, 33, was found strangled with an electric cable in a Qawra building site on Saturday night. He left a recorded message for friends explaining his despair, saying he was being forced to feel like a criminal when he had done no wrong, according to Ahmed Bugri, director for the Foundation for Shelter and Support for Migrants. Dr Bugri who identified the victim together with a Ghanaian embassy official, said the government's decision to review the so-called THPn system had forced him to the edge. However, the Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said the victim had applied for assisted voluntary return scheme to return to Ghana last September. His return process could not be concluded because there were other pending court cases. Mr A...
Post a Comment
Read more