ARMS DEALs: EFCC TO PROBE, BADE, UMAR, AMOSU, OTHERS

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to carry out further investigation into the misconduct established against the retired and serving officers of the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army. A statement yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Malam Garba Shehu said this was on the recommendation of the committee established to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to 2015.  Those to be investigated, according to the presidential spokesman, include Air Chief Marshal AS Badeh (Rtd), Air Marshal MD Umar (Rtd), and Air Marshal AN Amosu (Rtd), who are all former service chiefs. The list also includes Maj-​Gen. ​ER ​Chioba (Rtd), ​AVM​​ IA​ Balogun (Rtd), ​AVM ​AG​ Tsakr​ (Rtd), ​AVM​​ AG​ Idowu (Rtd), ​AVM ​AM ​Mamu, ​AVM ​OT ​Oguntoyinbo and ​AVM ​T ​Omenyi. Also mentioned are ​AVM ​JB ​Adigun, AVM​​ RA ​Ojuawo, AVM ​​JA ​Kayode-Beckley, ​Air Cdre ​SA ​Yushau (Rtd), Air Cdre ​AO ​Ogunjobi, ​Air Cdre​ GMD ​Gwani, ​Air Cdre SO ​Makinde, ​Air Cdre AY ​Lassa​, ​Col. ​​N ​Ashinze and Col. ​MS ​Dasuki (Rtd). Shehu added that following the submission of the audit committee’s second interim report, Buhari had directed the EFCC to investigate the roles of the officers and the following companies and their directors in fundamental breaches associated with the procurements by the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF): ​Messrs Societe D’ Equipments Internationaux, Himma Aboubakar, ​Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services Limited, ​Messrs Syrius Technologies, Dr Theresa A. Ittu, ​Sky Experts Nig Ltd, Omenyi Ifeanyi Tony, ​Huzee Nig. Ltd, ​GAT Techno Dynamics Ltd and Gbujie Peter Obie. The list also included: Onuri Samuel Ugochukwu, ​Spacewebs Interservices Ltd, Oguntoyinbo Tayo, Oguntoyinbo Funmi, ​Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Chief Jacobs Bola, ​Mono Marine Corporation Nig Ltd, ​Geonel Intergrated Services Ltd, Sachi Felicia, Mudaki Polycarp and Wolfgang Reinl. Shehu said the breaches identified by the Audit Committee included non-specification of procurement costs, absence of contract agreements, award of contracts beyond authorised thresholds, transfer of public funds for unidentified purposes and general non-adherence to provisions of the Public Procurement Act. He said the procurement processes were also arbitrarily carried out and generally characterized by irregularities and fraud. In many cases, the procured items failed to meet the purposes they were procured for, especially the counter-insurgency efforts in the North-East. ​The presidential aide also stated that a major procurement activity undertaken by Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for NAF was that concerning the contracts awarded to Societe D’ Equipment Internationaux (SEI) Nig Ltd. He said: “Between January  2014 and February  2015, NAF awarded 10 contracts totalling $930,500,690.00 to SEI Nig Ltd. Letters of award and End User Certificates for all the contracts issued by NAF and ONSA respectively did not reflect the contract sums. Rather, these were only found in the vendor’s invoices, all dated 19 March 2015. Additionally, some of the award letters contained misleading delivery dates suggesting fraudulent intent in the award process. Shehu said the observed discrepancies are in clear contravention of extant procurement regulations. “It was confirmed that the helicopters were excessively priced and not operationally air-worthy at the time of delivery. A brand new unit of such helicopters goes for about $30m. Furthermore, the helicopters were delivered without rotor blades and upgrade accessories. Additionally, the helicopters were undergoing upgrade while being deployed for operation in the North-East without proper documentation. It was further established that as at date, only one of the helicopters is in service while the other crashed and claimed the lives of two NAF personnel.” Shehu added that the committee established that ONSA also funded the procurement of 4 used Alpha-Jets for the NAF at the cost of $7,180,000.00. “However, it was confirmed that only 2 of the Alpha-Jet aircraft were ferried to Nigeria after cannibalization of engines from NAF fleet. This is contrary to the written assertion of the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal AN Amosu to the former NSA that all the 4 procured Alpha-Jets aircraft were delivered to the NAF,” he said. Shehu added that the procurement of the Alpha-Jets was contrary to the recommendation of the assessment team, and found the conduct of Air Marshal Amosu “deliberately misleading and unpatriotic”. He also said The contract for the procurement of 36D6 Low Level Air Defence Radar for the NAF was awarded to GAT Techno Dynamics Ltd in April 2014 at the cost of $33m and was funded by ONSA, but the committee established that the radars were excessively priced. Shehu also said the committee observed that the radars were delivered without the vital component of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) that distinguishes between own and adversary aircraft, which significantly degraded the operational capabilities of the NAF in the North-East. Shehu said it was established that between September 2009 and May 2015, the NAF expended about N15bn on the maintenance of its Alpha-Jets, C-130H aircraft and Mi-24V/35P helicopters. “Out of this amount, over N4bn was paid out for contracts not executed. It was also observed that in carrying out these maintenance activities, contracts worth over N2.5bn were awarded to Syrius Technologies, a Ukrainian company that was not registered in Nigeria. In spite of these expenditures, the status of NAF fleet remained operationally appalling as only 3 Alpha-Jets, 2 C-130H and one each of Mi-24V and Mi-35P were serviceable as at 28 May 15.” Shehu also said in October 2013, NAF awarded contracts to DICON for the supply of weapons and ammunition at the cost of N599,118,000.00. However, only 2 of the 7 items contracted were delivered , while the outstanding 5 items remain undelivered. “The Committee also found that the delivered ammunition were about 40 years old, thereby casting doubts on their shelf-life. The failure of DICON to fully execute the contract and the delivery of aged ammunition diminished the capacity of the NAF in North-East operation,” he said. Shehu also revealed that the committee uncovered insider dealings by military officers in procurement activities undertaken by ONSA and the NAF, with misuse or abuse of office for personal gain, by influencing award of contracts to private companies in which they have substantial interests. “For instance, an officer serving in the ONSA used his office to secure 2 contracts for his company, Geonel Integrated Services Ltd, for the protection of 20 Dams and Presidential Air Fleet security at over N6bn $5m, respectively. Shehu said in continuation of its assignment, the committee has so far established that the nation spent about N29bn and $2bn on NAF procurement activities alone.