Whistleblowers in the defence industry are raising the alarm over a massive fraud of $466.5 million about to be executed at the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) with some arms dealers, using the United States’ refusal to grant export permit for military hardware to Nigeria as pretext.

A letter to the government aroused the suspicion. An arms procurement company wrote that in view of the refusal of the US to give export licence to Nigeria, it had reached an agreement with NAF to substitute the initial order for Cobra AH-IV with alternate attack platform which it claimed, has greater fire power.

The letter detailed the alternate equipment to include six upgraded armed Puma Helicopters with the equivalent attack capabilities of the Cobra; four SU-25KM upgraded ground support/ attack aircraft;2 EU 25 UB for the purpose of qualifying and training NAF pilots for specific mission.

To power the pitch further, it offer additional incentive by proposing to build a suitable purpose built storage and hanger for the Puma and SU25 helicopters to accommodate the ground support requirements.

Same day, the company initiated a second correspondence with the NAF from its representative office at 1c Barnes High Street, London SW 13 9LB, United Kingdom titled “ Additional Critical Armament Requirement for NAF”. The company put the cummulative charges for the various equipment, including shipping at $466.5million.

Whistleblowers were shocked that in a government parastatal known for slow moving mails and deliberations, the NAF recommended the pitch by the military hardware supply company to the higher echelon of government within 16 days of submitting the proposal.

In its recommendation, NAF wrote: “The NAF hereby confirms the letters from the firm (name withheld) regarding platform amendment and additional armament requirement for the NAF. This arrangement became necessary because the United States of America failed to endorse the sale of Cobra AH-IV attack helicopter to Nigeria.

Accordingly, NAF has agreed that the said firm (name withheld) replace the Cobra helicopter with six upgraded armed Puma helicopters, four upgraded SU-25KM and two upgraded SU-25UB attack aircraft”.

The NAF stated that the technical specifications and scopes of work for the aircraft types, required upgrade, training and support package as well as the additional armament requirements have been signed by both parties.

Stridently painting the urgent need for the supply, the NAF urged the approving authority to consent to the request immediately to address current national security challenges as the equipment were needed in the short term.

Curiously, the NAF letter admitted that the equipment being procured was not the appropriate hardware to meet the needs. It noted that the acquisition of new Mangusta 129-Attack Helicopters were actually needed to enhance the Force’s operational capabilities.

The contents of the correspondence soon became known to insiders in the Defence industry and led to serious petitions against the transaction on the grounds that it would amount to massive fraud if executed and that the NAF was guilty of negligence as it did not carry out the mandatory due diligence before endorsing the deal.

According to a petition by a military hardware supplier, “ the total cost of $345.05million, including freight in the attached invoice…does not differentiate between the Puma and SU-25. The unit cost for the SU-25 is mentioned as $11million for a new jet on the internet. While the offered SU-25 are not new, the Puma helicopters are heavily overloaded in price of at least $45 million each”.

Wondering why the NAF would prefer overloaded cost, the company said it quoted $25 million for the helicopter adding that the $39.45 million offered by the preferred firm for armament to NAF, far exceeded its quotation of $13million.

Its conclusion: “This proposed deal being supported by the approving authority is heavily overloaded and considering the probable age of the equipment, is not a fair deal for Nigeria at all”. It added that the proposed training for the pilots and the building of a new hanger are out of place since the pilots are adequately trained and there exisits a subsisting hanger.

Defence industry sources believe that the transaction is a smokescreen for massive fraud as the proposed equipment are no longer being produced and those being refurbished for supply under this transaction cannot deliver on their functions.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the NAF at the time of going to press were not fruitful as the official lines of the media department were switched off.


Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/new/nigeria-set-lose-466m-arms-deal/

Aaaa Gbasoke

My God!!!!


cc:

All the same story

this is the best time for the govt of jona to use technology to fight corruption...

shines teeth

xwolverine:
the total cost of $345.05million, including freight in the attached invoice…does not differentiate between the Puma and SU-25. The unit cost for the SU-25 is mentioned as $11million for a new jet on the internet. While the offered SU-25 are not new, the Puma helicopters are heavily overloaded in price of at least $45 million each

some people need to be arrested for treason, haba!! where is the fear of God

Interesting.

It is good that the NAF is being called to exercise due diligence in this contract. What is curious is why we are only hearing of this particular deal, have the other multi million dollar contracts issued by the military been all fair and properly executed? Did the whistleblowers just grow a conscience last night?

Imagine using insurgency to steal from Nigerians

ApexTitan:
Interesting.

It is good that the NAF is being called to exercise due diligence in this contract. What is curious is why we are only hearing of this particular deal, have the other multi million dollar contracts issued by the military been all fair and properly executed? Did the whistleblowers just grow a conscience last night?

Same question i was about to ask.

Na if yawa gas we dey hear the gist.

If it had gone well, we won't hear of it o.

everybody chop well under GEJ. democracy is working!

And this is why it will still take us(Nigeria) a long time to reach our full potential. Everyone is out to make personal gain forgetting whats best for the nation at large




Elections: FG says Boko Haram plans to use female suicide bombers
Source: http://www.e reporter.com.ng/index.php/political-news/item/3040-elections-fg-says-boko-haram-plans-to-use-female-suicide-bombers

FOI at work

Ok

Sai Buhari is set to retrieve back the money

If you agree hit like

The Nations newspaper I need to leave this story alone.

If indeed this is true, this are the fo0ls selling us out to BH, diverting money meant for ammunitions for their personal gains, I once said it majority of our pot bellied service chiefs will never pray for BH insurgency to end, owing to what they make off arm deals...

BTW, how come all our "investigative journalist" are becoming very active few days to elections How come they are just finding out deals like this Is this the first time of discovering deals like this Or their so called sources decide to release informations like this to them few days to elections

A lot of unanswered questions, which make somethings you read online doubtful...SMH

I have said it, Jona will be the first ex-Nigerian president to spend time in kirikiri.

GMB 2015,lagbara Olorun

chamboy:
Aaaa Gbasoke

I believe you were trying to say "Gbesoke".

The Nations newpaper I need to leave this story alone.

Interesting piece!

hmmmm. abeg who get airtime for phone. i wan call ngozi

Incredible source abi na sauce fsef, chai

Association of past criminals (APC) and their propaganda it can't stop us GEJ Till 2019

5

.

what??

I never knew the APC media team were so prepared for this election.
Those guys deserve serious award.

The Most deserving media platform should be

Sahara Reporters.

Followed closely by premium Times

Then The Nation Newspaper.

These guys came even make Maheeda become a virgin

And turn Father Mbaka the other way

[b]It is sad to see many anti-progressives call Buhari names because of his tribal accent. Igbo's , Yoruba and Hausa's all have various ways of speaking and pronunciation due to our mother tongue. When i watched father Mbaka's video, his accent was obvious when he pronounced OIL as OYEL but does that makes him an illiterate? General Buhari reads, writes and gives speeches in English, but the hatred by some Nigerians will never let them see that fact.


The most supporters of this present administration are the Igbo's. They see this as an opportunity for them to avenge what was done to them during the civil war. They never blamed Ojukwu who started a suicide mission and ran to ivory coast leaving them to their fate. This is why they will never see anything good in Buhari even if GEJ does nothing, they are contented.

Had APC presented Fashola, Atiku or Kwankwaso , they will still find reasons to vote for GEJ and label Apc candidates bad. This hate is not about buhari, it's the way they feel they can get revenge for refusing to allow them form their Biafran territory. They call Yoruba's slave to the North and all sort of names. They are a petty tribe. Its unfortunate the disunity of this country originates from their region.

In 2011, we all saw GEJ as a messiah and we voted him en-masse irrespective of his tribe and religion. We thought he would deliver us from years of misrule due to his humble look and name GOODLUCK. Nigerians did not vote PDP but GEJ. Then Yoruba's were not tagged slaves for trooping out to vote for him en-masse.

They said APC and Buhari promised to make Nigeria ungovernable. My question is why can't these people be arrested if the statements tagged to them were true GEJ is the commander in chief of all forces in Nigeria and it baffles me how a civilian in Buhari can make his government ungovernable while he sits and watch without taking actions. Isn't that a high level of incompetence?

Good luck Jonathan is the worst president we ever had in this country. The misfortunes of his administrations exceeds the so called transformations. I urge everyone to vote wisely


Sai Buhari [/b]

Make we hear word... Another way of stealing nation's fund.... Well, GEJ already said STEALING is not CORRUPTION..