Lagos Govt Sells Helicopter It Bought in 2009 To Itself in 2015.
Questions are now being asked by Nigerians as to whether or not the Lagos State government sold the two helicopters it bought in 2009 to itself and paid afresh.
On December 7, 2009, the then Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola launched two Bell 412 EP Helicopters for security surveillance in the State.
However, on November 27, 2015, the State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode commissioned three helicopters, 15 armoured personnel carriers, APCs, two gunboats, 165 vehicles and others purchased at a cost of N4.765 billion.
One of the helicopters was a Bell 412 EP 5N-LAG (Manufacturers Serial Number 36495), the same as the ones commissioned by Fashola in 2009!
When Fashola launched the helicopters in 2009, he did not say that it belonged to Caverton. Rather, he said Caverton would assist the government to enforce safety standards, implying that the helicopters never belonged to Caverton.
A trail of documents and news articles readily available online show that this helicopter (5N-LAG) together with 5N-LSG were both procured in 2009 via deductions from the Lagos State Security Trust Fund by the Fashola’s led government.
According publication by Saharareporters on November 20, 2009, revealed that the Bell 412 EP that Caverton advertised as its own was one of the two helicopters the Lagos State government purchased through the Lagos State Trust Fund to fight crime in the state.
In 2007, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund was established under the Lagos State Security Trust Fund Law 2007 enacted by the state assembly. The Trust Fund was established to raise money and equipment through voluntary subscriptions and donations from all interested government agencies, private organizations and individuals. The funds were then to be invested to take care of the security challenges of the entire state.
Caverton is owned by a businessman, Remi Makanjuola, who also doubled then as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Lagos Trust Fund.
Saharareporters claimed then that in telephone calls made to a Florida–based company, Africair Inc., it discovered that the Lagos State Security Trust Fund had ordered two helicopters, which were supplied, shipped and re-assembled in Lagos.
Africa rep. of Africair, Mr. Robert Prentice, in Nairobi, Kenya confirmed that his company had completed the supply of the helicopters to the Lagos State Security Trust Fund. Prodded as to why Caverton is claiming ownership of the equipment, he admitted that the state has a deal with Caverton to operate the helicopters.
The inference from all these is that the Lagos State Government purchased the repainted 5N-LAG helicopter from itself or better still, Ambode repurchased the same helicopter bought by Fashola. - Hope For Nigeria

Pidggin:
Zombies will soon say this is GEJ's fault

menix:
helicopter wey them re-purchase for Tinubu usage...

The corruption in Nigeria have surpassed the corruption devil introduced into the earth...

Re: Scam in Lagos State: Helicopters purchased for crime fighting are converted to private commercial use
We have noted with great concern, the inaccuracies contained in the online publication on SR titled, SCAMS IN LAGOS STATE : HELICOPTERS PURCHASED FOR CRIME FIGHTING ARE CONVERTED TO PRIVATE COMMERCIAL USE.

THE FACTS
1. The Lagos State government bought 2 BELL 412EP helicopters for the purposes of medical evacuation, fire-fighting and security surveillance. The state not being an Airline or Air Operating Certificate (AOC) holder solicited the assistance of Caverton Helicopters manage the importation process of the helicopters to ensure that there is full compliance with all Federal Ministry of Aviation and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority regulations. We have successfully completed this task and have formally advised the Lagos State Government which has scheduled the formal acceptance and commissioning of the aircraft in the coming days.

2. Both helicopters, 5N-LAG and 5N-LSG which are now fully assembled are stationed in Lagos and not Warri and Port Harcourt as the report stated. It is pertinent to mention that both helicopters have never flown outside Lagos since being assembled.

3. Contrary to your report, at no time was Caverton Helicopters, associated companies or directors ever involved in the purchase of helicopters for the Nigerian Navy. The Nigerian Navy, Federal Ministry of Aviation or the NCAA can corroborate this fact. It suffices to say that Caverton never received any helicopter from the Nigerian Navy or Agusta.

4. As stated earlier in our preamble, we purchased our first helicopter, the Agusta 109 in 2003 and took a commercial decision to sell it in 2007 due to its high operating cost.

5. Caverton leases its Eurocopter fleet from our European partner and has never bought one as claimed in the report.

6. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and National Maritime Administration & Safety Agency (NIMASA) contracts were direct and immediate responses by both organisations for compliance with the ISPS (International Ship and Port Facility Security code) which came into effect in July 2004. The contracts ran between 2005 and 2008. At no time did Caverton receive remuneration of N12 million or equivalent per day for this service as the report purported. This fact can be verified from the respective organizations.

7. The incident reported involving the governor had less to do with engine power but more with pilot error. Incidents like this do happen in the industry and Caverton took immediate steps to ensure that appropriate lessons learnt from that incident were inculcated into our safety culture.

8. Caverton currently owns 2 twin otters which are contracted to NLNG. Both aircraft comply with Federal Ministry of Aviation and NCAA 21-year age limitation. Both aircraft were vetted by Shell’s overseas auditors and were deemed airworthy and compliant to Shell’s standards prior to contract deployment.

9. At no time did Caverton acquire or purchase any aircraft from Aero Contractors. This fact can be verified from both Aerocontractors and the NCAA.

10. The referenced publication/advertisement of Caverton’s entry into the offshore oil and gas logistics arena never alluded or purported that the ownership of the Lagos State 2 BELL 412EP helicopters were Caverton’s.

While we appreciate SR’s innovative intervention in the public information space, as an organization playing in the global arena where inaccuracy reports about company operations and safety issues could be detrimental to the company’s interest, we wish to advise that due care be exercised in publishing reports without verification of the facts from all concerned parties.

We hope that SR will make public these facts immediately to correct the mis- representation in the referenced report.


Signed

CAVERTON HELICOPTERS EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT

The Lagos State government will acquire two new helicopters for safety and emergency rescue purposes between now and December.
But this, according to findings by P.M. NEWS is dependent on the ability of the state to meet the newly re-ordered budget of N25.440 billion approved by the state House of Assembly on 15 September, 2015.
Part of the 16-point recommendation of an eight-man ad-hoc committee that worked on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s request to re-order the 2015 budget was that the sum of N3.8 billion be approved for capital expenditure to meet the security and emergency needs of the state.
“The additional sum of N670,418,193 and N3,819,248,855 be approved respectively as recurrent and capital expenditure for security and emergency intervention fund (including acquisition of rescue helicopters),” the fifth recommendation stated.
While trying to convince his colleagues prior to the approval of the recommendations by the House, chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Rotimi Olowo, had said the committee found that the two helicopters earlier purchased by the state government could not meet the safety and emergency requirements of the state.
He said there was the need to have modern rescue equipment for rescue and evacuation operations at accident sites in the state.
For example, he said, if the state had enough helicopters, quick rescue would have come the way of the victims of the recent Bristow helicopter crash that occurred in Lagos.
The House further approved the sum of N3.9 billion as special expenditure. This makes the total 2015 budget for ‘special expenditure’ N8,400,000,000.
The House approved another N2 billion as contigency fund in addition to the N1,160,075,209 initially approved as its allocation in the 2015 budget.
Lagos State currently has two Bell 412 EP helicopters which former Governor Babatunde Fashola launched in December 2009 with a promise to commit the state’s resources to securing the lives and property of residents.

okomogo:
APC doesn't harbour corruption, they are corruption personified. I know baba will not pay attention to this facts

talktimi:
Nothing new in what LASG did, yesterday I bought a wrist watch from my left hand so that I could wear it on my right hand, I didn't sign any check I just put the money in my wallet in the left pocket

Alphaoscar:
Lagos State Government Respond To The
Allegation Of Fraud By The Wailers:
How could a government purchase an
helicopter from itself? Is that logical?
For the records, LASG never said it
purchased three helicopters. We could not
have purchased three brand new helicopters
for N4.8bn which was the cost of the entire
donations made to RRS.
What we did was to donate three
helicopters to the RRS to fight crime.
The three included one from the two
purchased by the former administration after
it was refurbished.
The other one from the former
administration was traded-in to the
manufacturers in exchange for a brand new
one and we purchased a brand new one
separately, making three.
Getting the cost of a brand new helicopter
is readily available on the net and should
not be a subject of conjecture. Rather than
continue to use the two old helicopters for
commercial services as was being done, what
we did was to donate all three (two new
and one refurbished) to the RRS to fight
crime! Facts are sacred.
@Lagos State Ministry of Information.
Wailers carry propaganda with
SENSE!!!!!

Bitterleafsoup:

Love Machine:
But why is Tinubu using the helicopter for his personal engagement?Was the helicopter bought for him or to fight crime?

talktimi:
me sef I'm confused

Love Machine:
The refurbished helicopter was bought in 2009.It's not an old helicopter na.The cost will be mindboggling if it is disclose to the public.It's another way to siphon public fund.

The Lagos State government will acquire two new helicopters for safety and emergency rescue purposes between now and December.

Alphaoscar:
Lagos State Government Respond To The
Allegation Of Fraud By The Wailers:
How could a government purchase an
helicopter from itself? Is that logical?
For the records, LASG never said it
purchased three helicopters. We could not
have purchased three brand new helicopters
for N4.8bn which was the cost of the entire
donations made to RRS.
What we did was to donate three
helicopters to the RRS to fight crime.
The three included one from the two
purchased by the former administration after
it was refurbished.
The other one from the former
administration was traded-in to the
manufacturers in exchange for a brand new
one and we purchased a brand new one
separately, making three.
Getting the cost of a brand new helicopter
is readily available on the net and should
not be a subject of conjecture. Rather than
continue to use the two old helicopters for
commercial services as was being done, what
we did was to donate all three (two new
and one refurbished) to the RRS to fight
crime! Facts are sacred.
@Lagos State Ministry of Information.
Wailers carry propaganda with
SENSE!!!!!

What we did was to donate three
helicopters to the RRS to fight crime.

While trying to convince his colleagues prior to the approval of the recommendations by the House, chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Rotimi Olowo, had said the committee found that the two helicopters earlier purchased by the state government could not meet the safety and emergency requirements of the state.

“The additional sum of N670,418,193 and N3,819,248,855 be approved respectively as recurrent and capital expenditure for security and emergency intervention fund (including acquisition of rescue helicopters),” the fifth recommendation stated.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase and Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, during the commissioning and handing over of Patrol vehicles, motorcycles, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), gunboats, helicopters to the Nigerian Police and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), at the Lagos House, Ikeja, Friday.

Bitterleafsoup:
Why did Fakeshola sell Tinubu the Governors lodge and so many of Lagos citzens property?
Answer: "When we steal you don't stone us" Rotten Amaechi

Bitterleafsoup:
Ambode's time repainted

Lagos To Install 10,000 CCTV Cameras Across The State
Jan 05,2016

https://www.nairaland.com/2843603/lagos-install-10000-cctv-cameras

Lagos Deploys Additional 1,000 CCTV Cameras
21 Jan 2014

The Lagos State Government Monday disclosed that it would soon begin the installation of additional 1,000 Close Circuit Television (CCTV), which it said, would help beef up security and crime monitoring in the state.

With the latest development, the number of security cameras, which are in operation across the state would be 2,200, out of which the federal government earlier deployed 1,000 and the state government 1,200.

However, Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), disclosed the plans to install additional 1,000 CCTV at the public security system demonstration at the Lagos State Security Command and Control Centre, Alausa.

More from: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/lagos-deploys-additional-1-000-cctv-cameras/169368/

anonimi:


It is the same story with CCTVs.








www.nairaland.com/attachments/2973003_2972908img8889033575920jpegjpeg9806bd2153518397a591fad28c8bce09_jpeg2e10389c92476096a700ac3ee30d28e1

aresa:
Lagos state government dey steal money, but they have everything, they have helicopters, boats, hundreds of police cars, police bomb fighting robots, police gadgets and the Lagos state police command is the best and well equipped in Nigeria.

...but your villages where your village governors doesn't steal your money have nothing, I mean nothing......even though they collect taxes from you and federal allocation on your poor and miserable behalf..


Poor Igbos....

aresa:
Lagos state government dey steal money, but they have everything, they have helicopters, boats, hundreds of police cars, police bomb fighting robots, police gadgets and the Lagos state police command is the best and well equipped in Nigeria.

...but your villages where your village governors doesn't steal your money have nothing, I mean nothing......even though they collect taxes from you and federal allocation on your poor and miserable behalf..


Poor Igbos....