The Federal Capital Territory Administration has concluded arrangement to purchase an aerial surveillance balloon from an Israeli company at the cost of $1.9 million (equivalent N295 million), documents leaked to Daily Trust have shown.
When the deal is sealed, the balloon, technically called Sky Star Tactical Aerostat System, will be launched into the skies of Abuja where it will hover covering a 6-kilometre-radius area, a defence contractor privy to the deal said.

The documents show that contract for the supply and installation of the balloon has been approved by the Bureau for Public Procurement and is now awaiting FCT Minister Bala Mohammed’s nod.

A letter from the FCTA to the contractors notified them of the BPP approval.

“I am directed to inform you that the Bureau for Public Procurement has reviewed the proposal and granted ‘No Objection’ for the procurement in the total sum of N295, 000,650.00,” said the letter, signed by Director, FCT Procurement Department, Ahmed Mohammed Joda.

“You are therefore requested to indicate in writing acceptance or otherwise of the offer within one week of the receipt of this letter. The terms of the contract will be discussed upon your acceptance of the certified sum.”

The letter, dated December 22, 2011, is titled “Re: Proposal for the Supply and Installation of Sky Star Aerial Surveillance Equipment (1) One No. Sky Star Tactitical System.”

However, an aggrieved defence contractor Alhaji Rabiu Hassan alleged that the contract has been inflated.

He told Daily Trust in Abuja that the surveillance balloon’s cost is $300,000 but is inflated to $1.9 million.

According to the contracts documents, the contract sum includes the costs of seaway or airworthy packing of the equipment and documentation.

Terms of the contract indicated that the final execution of the order is subject to the approval of the Ministry of Defence.

Attempts to get comments from the FCT ministry failed yesterday.

When our reporter asked for comments to this story from a spokesman for the ministry Sule Hazat, he said he would call our reporter back. But he did not do that and did not answer subsequent calls till the time of going to press last night.

Another spokesman for the ministry, Nosike Ogbuenyi, did not answer his calls.

‘FG procured faulty drones at N29bn’

On Sunday, defence contractor Rabiu Hassan also alleged that the Federal Government has procured two faulty unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at an inflated cost of $240 million from certain Israeli contractors.

He alleged that the drones are being kept in Benin.

But yesterday, a senior official in the office of the National Security Adviser told Daily Trust he was not aware of the contract.

Also the Nigerian Air Force which has the capability of handling UAVs said it was not part of the deal.

Hassan also on Sunday alleged that the Federal Government is hiring two Israeli spy satellites at an inflated cost of 145 million Euros (about N29.2). He said the actual cost of the satellites was put at $40 million.

The spy satellites have a 2,000-kilometre radius and are to cover the Nigerian airspace as well as the entire West African region, he alleged further.

Alhaji Rabiu Hassan, who is the chief executive of Hypertech (UK) Limited, said he had petitioned the Presidency and other public agencies on these contracts which he said have high security implications for Nigeria.



http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/index.php/other-sections/lead-stories/180423-fct-to-buy-n295-million-spy-balloon

abubello:

However, an aggrieved defence contractor Alhaji Rabiu Hassan alleged that the contract has been inflated.

He told Daily Trust in Abuja that the surveillance balloon’s cost is $300,000 but is inflated to $1.9 million.

If true, then i guess someone is about to get rich again o.

Alhaji Rabiu Hassan, who is the chief executive of Hypertech (UK) Limited, said he had petitioned the Presidency and other public agencies on these contracts which he said have high security implications for Nigeria.

If true, Alhaji Rabiu should please state its implication and how it could be curbed.

What is a balloon?

lets see how it goes

First to comment!

Balloon? for security surveillance?... Hmmmnnnn... that money can start up businesses for more than 200 graduates.
Are we out of ideas or just beref of innovative ones.. Mtcheeeewwww.. Rubbish

I don't understand dis country anymore..most dey announce they r buying a spy balloon to the world..na boko boy go dey look for ways to blow am...foollllish govt

ok. Nxt pls...

Hahahahaha i de laugh. Israel will continue to frustrate the Nigerian desire to acquire standardised security apparatus to show their commitment to the plan. We are watching.

sheyie2007: First to comment!

sorry. . .

If the cost of $300,000 Spy ballon not even a real drone can be inflated to $1.9m then I need to register a security Technology company and form JV partnership with foreign companies to cash in on this new wave of sharing. This is obviously absurd.

Spy balloon. . . .Nigeria no get work again. . .

abubello: The Federal Capital Territory Administration has concluded arrangement to purchase an aerial surveillance balloon from an Israeli company at the cost of $1.9 million (equivalent N295 million), documents leaked to Daily Trust have shown.
When the deal is sealed, the balloon, technically called Sky Star Tactical Aerostat System, will be launched into the skies of Abuja where it will hover covering a 6-kilometre-radius area, a defence contractor privy to the deal said.

The documents show that contract for the supply and.

installation of the balloon has been approved by the Bureau for Public Procurement and is now awaiting FCT Minister Bala Mohammed’s nod.

A letter from the FCTA to the contractors notified them of the BPP approval.
Misplaced priority
“I am directed to inform you that the Bureau for Public Procurement has reviewed the proposal and granted ‘No Obj





















ection’ for the procurement in the total sum of N295, 000,650.00,” said the letter, signed by Director, FCT Procurement Department, Ahmed Mohammed Joda.

“You are therefore requested to indicate in writing acceptance or otherwise of the offer within one week of the receipt of this letter. The terms of the contract will be discussed upon your acceptance of the certified sum.”

The letter, dated December 22, 2011, is titled “Re: Proposal for the Supply and Installation of Sky Star Aerial Surveillance Equipment (1) One No. Sky Star Tactitical System.”

However, an aggrieved defence contractor Alhaji Rabiu Hassan alleged that the contract has been inflated.

He told Daily Trust in Abuja that the surveillance balloon’s cost is $300,000 but is inflated to $1.9 million.

According to the contracts documents, the contract sum includes the costs of seaway or airworthy packing of the equipment and documentation.

Terms of the contract indicated that the final execution of the order is subject to the approval of the Ministry of Defence.

Attempts to get comments from the FCT ministry failed yesterday.

When our reporter asked for comments to this story from a spokesman for the ministry Sule Hazat, he said he would call our reporter back. But he did not do that and did not answer subsequent calls till the time of going to press last night.

Another spokesman for the ministry, Nosike Ogbuenyi, did not answer his calls.

‘FG procured faulty drones at N29bn’

On Sunday, defence contractor Rabiu Hassan also alleged that the Federal Government has procured two faulty unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at an inflated cost of $240 million from certain Israeli contractors.

He alleged that the drones are being kept in Benin.

But yesterday, a senior official in the office of the National Security Adviser told Daily Trust he was not aware of the contract.

Also the Nigerian Air Force which has the capability of handling UAVs said it was not part of the deal.

Hassan also on Sunday alleged that the Federal Government is hiring two Israeli spy satellites at an inflated cost of 145 million Euros (about N29.2). He said the actual cost of the satellites was put at $40 million.

The spy satellites have a 2,000-kilometre radius and are to cover the Nigerian airspace as well as the entire West African region, he alleged further.

Alhaji Rabiu Hassan, who is the chief executive of Hypertech (UK) Limited, said he had petitioned the Presidency and other public agencies on these contracts which he said have high security implications for Nigeria.



http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/index.php/other-sections/lead-stories/180423-fct-to-buy-n295-million-spy-balloon

Misplaced priority....another avenue to set up committee for criminals to probe criminals....spy balloon koor.. Blooww blooww nii...wld personally shoot it down..

sheyie2007: First to comment!

yabaleft candidate

The Jews have discovered a gold mine! They will rip off the country to the last kobo for the pittance kickback to government officials. Fresh Air!

N295M When a spy gadget is announced this way it is no longer a 'SPY' device anymore na.

Dem don finish Nigeria

you know i wonder at times how they come up with needs such as this , do they have a meeting ?do they have one of those Eureka moments " aha i think we need a spy balloon " , in fact let us invest in a spy balloon , just how do they justify spending a whole N295million on a freaking spy balloon. Does money mean nothing anymore in Nigeria?

its hard to be a Nigerian patriot honestly , those people still living in foolish hope that someday Nigeria will be good , i salute you, because hell will freeze over before that happens

shame!

The FG knows the reasons for doing so.

Dis a waste of money y nt use d money 2 buy cctv besides thats wot everybody use

iamswizz: What is a balloon?

Any figure that is knife shaped..are you sorted?

Trust Naija, some peeps will buy house, some will buy car, some will marry new wives, some will send their pikin go school for abroad, all put, inside this purchasing Tokunbo drone from Israel.

abubello:

According to the contracts documents, the contract sum includes the costs of seaway or airworthy packing of the equipment and documentation.

I no fit laugh, I'm wondering how much in this inflated figure, documentation has been put down for. yeye people. Agaracha must chop by all means

Billyonaire: If the cost of $300,000 Spy ballon not even a real drone can be inflated to $1.9m then I need to register a security Technology company and form JV partnership with foreign companies to cash in on this new wave of sharing. This is obviously absurd.

Good you know its absurd and its been anchored by no other than your beloved GEJ.

Another way to loot and embezzling tax payer's money. How can a spy balloon cost $1.9Million, that's totally absurd. I don't think the spy balloon would cost 10% of the supposed amount we paid. There's so much we could do with that $1.9Million. First, our power system is bad, a little money can make things better, there's the issue of our bad transport fascilities like our roads, inadequate healthcare system just to mention a few. That money can really go a long way in each of the afforementioned problems we're undergoing in this country.

iamswizz: What is a balloon?

bolon bolo

obi123: you know i wonder at times how they come up with needs such as this , do they have a meeting ?do they have one of those Eureka moments " aha i think we need a spy balloon " ?

LMAO

Those ballons will never spot boko haram planting a bomb somewhere or policemen molesting a citizen or the presence of potholes on certain roads that need maintainance or beggers in the streets. It will only show which roads are free enough to move looted funds from point A to B

uihebom: bolon bolo

lol Nairaland

sheyie2007: First to comment!

what's with all these first to comment thing?mtcheeew.so annoying!

dnative: Trust Naija, some peeps will buy house, some will buy car, some will marry new wives, some will send their pikin go school for abroad, all put, inside this purchasing Tokunbo drone from Israel.



I no fit laugh, I'm wondering how much in this inflated figure, documentation has been put down for. yeye people. Agaracha must chop by all means

Contracts are normally inflated a 1000'/, in the f.c.T