•Threaten to invoke parliamentary powers against Customs Comptroller General, others

Members of the House of Representatives on Friday were shocked to the marrow as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) publicly justified the sales of 82 vehicles for the sum of N5.8 million over the past 12 years.

Trouble started when the NIMASA Executive Director, Mr. Chudi Offodile, announced during the resumed investigative hearing into the disposal of public property by the Agencies between 2010 and 2022 to unravel the extent of illegal auctioning of public property and non-remittance of revenue realised into the Consolidated Revenue Fund’, chaired by Hon. Julius Ihonbvere, that due process was followed.

The documents presented and obtained by the Nigerian Tribune showed that a Peugeot Expert Ambulance with a market value of N200,000 was sold at a forced liquidation or auction value of N95,000; a Honda Civic Saloon Car with a market value of N170,000 was sold at N76,500; a Toyota Hilux (Grounded) with a market value of N300,000 was sold at N140,000; another Toyota Hilux (Accidental) with a market value of N200,000 was sold at N96,000; and another Toyota Hilux (Grounded) with a market value of N250,000 was sold at N115,000.

In the same vein, two units of Toyota Hilux, which were at the time of inspection in the custody of Carbotage Consultant in Lagos and put at N1 million market value, were sold at N470,000 each for forced liquidation or auction value; a Honda Civic put at N210,000 was sold at N95,000; a Honda City put at N190,000 market value was sold at N80,000, among others.

Through its office in Abuja, a Toyota Hilux put at N500,000 market value was sold at N245,000; a Toyota Avensis put at N300,000 market value was sold at N145,000; a Toyota Corolla put at N300,000 market value was sold at N147,000; and two units of Honda Civic put at N90,000 market value were sold at N30,000 each, among others.

Other lawmakers who spoke during the investigative hearing demanded documentary evidence of funds remitted into the CRF account as provided by extant provisions of the Procurement Act, Proceeds of Crimes Act, and other known legislation or financial regulations.

In his presentation, Mr Offodile, who denied knowledge of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 on the remittance of the funds generated from the sale of public assets, however, affirmed that the proceeds of sales were paid by the Auctioneers into NIMASA’s coffers.

When asked whether the Agency has a mechanic’s workshop where faulty vehicles can be repaired, Mr. Offodile answered in the negative.

While expressing surprise that most of the vehicles displayed in the document presented to the Ad-hoc Committee didn’t show that they are old or not in good condition, Hon. Ihonbvere said: “Looking at them (pictures of vehicles captured in the documents), some of them are looking new,” adding that for Nigerians, a 13-year-old Toyota Hilux is not old.”

Hon. Ihonbvere thereafter narrated how a former Edo State Governor engaged a female mechanic to fix some of the vehicles tagged as unserviceable and recovered over 100 vehicles while other spare parts were stored.

He explained that over 100 vehicles fixed by the female mechanic were deployed to various MDAs, thereby blocking financial leakages.

Hon. Ihonbvere specifically expressed concern over the rationale behind the placement of an advertisement on March 29, 2022, calling for a public auction of NIMASA vehicles and the sale of all the vehicles on March 30, 2022, through forced liquidation or auction.

While alleging that the move “leaves us with the impression that it’s a pre-arrangement,” the Majority Leader argued that the process contravened the extant Public Procurement Act to dispose of public assets within 24 hours.

Hon. Ihonbvere, who disclosed that the Ad-hoc Committee is in the custody of petitions against NIMASA alleging that the vehicles were sold to some officials and staff of the Agency, maintained that the Auctioneers engaged by NIMASA were merely hired to rubber stamp the fictitious insider trading.

Hence, the lawmakers requested a list of all the Auctioneers as well as beneficiaries of the vehicles, the original cost of the vehicles and invoices, a letter of contract awards for the auctioning of the assets to the auctioneers, and relevant approvals obtained from the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing as well as the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

One of the lawmakers expressed worry about why the Agency only carried out sales of vehicles and did not have any record of sales of computers and other office equipment within the period under review.

Hon. Ihonbvere, who requested the registers of all the assets of NIMASA and other MDAs, disclosed that the asset registers would be computerised in the state-of-the-art library, which is currently under construction within the National Assembly complex, to be commissioned by the end of September 2023.

In the same vein, the lawmakers quizzed the Sokoto River Basin’s delegation over indiscriminate sales of public assets to the management of the Agency in breach of the extant Public Procurement Act at ridiculous prices.

To this end, Hon. Ihonbvere directed the delegation from NIMASA and the Sokoto River Basin to provide relevant documents that will aid the ongoing investigation. The ad hoc Committee is expected to resume hearings on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/drama-as-reps-uncover-nimasa-sells-82-vehicles-for-n5-8m-in-12-years/

Something is wrong with us in this country

dre11:
•Threaten to invoke parliamentary powers against Customs Comptroller General, others




https://tribuneonlineng.com/drama-as-reps-uncover-nimasa-sells-82-vehicles-for-n5-8m-in-12-years/

Kolloption no get name.

... That means the average selling price is less than 71,000 naira

Nigeria my country

Not surprised, this is Nigeria

The level of corruption and malfeasance in this 'damned' country is mindblowing



There is no longer probity or a tinge of honesty amongst our public servants, everyone sees public office as an avenue to plunder and amass illicit wealth



What a CORNtree 🌽!

I saw this on 🤔 was it tvc paper review or something . The level of corruption in this country as gotten to the point whereby when I hear of things like this I only laugh, no time to give myself headache . This people are too evil. This government officials are demonically controlled for their only pocket . Every sector of this nation does same thing. Fear go catch you if they look into the likes of CUSTOM, FRSC etc. Hmmmmmm 😏

Everybody dey Colo for this country

Theatre of absurdities, nigeria

Crooks.

Why auction at such ridiculous price if there's no foul play?
Are the vehicles wheelbarrows?
Why is it that weekly Nigeria brings out ridiculous news!

And some youth will still be killing themselves for this selfish politicians, that only care about themselves and family.

NIMASA seized those cars from Southern importers and sold them off cheap to Northerners.

Shey na scrap dem sell?


Nigeria is seriously a joke center

God..

Improper fraction.😭😂

Where was I when this massive discounted sales was ongoing

Kk

SMH...kwarupt fighting kwaruption...

Femich18:
... That means the average selling price is less than 71,000 naira

Nigeria my country

Padipadi:
Why auction at such ridiculous price if there's no foul play?[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font]
Why is it that weekly Nigeria brings out ridiculous news!

FuckTheMod:


Yet, nobody will be arrested or JAILED

Wittyness.

Business

We are too corrupt in this country.

Yet, nobody will be arrested or JAILED

.Mohbad: Commissioner of Police set up special investigation team to Investigate Naira Marley and Sam Larry
Watch video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGx4VWVUh3E

Nigeria Police Invite Mohbad's Father for Investigation

Hmmm

They were even kind enough to sell them at a token.

One ex-governor took about 30 luxurious official cars with him while leaving office without paying Kobo.

Fantastically corrupt nation.

When this bros made this comment in another thread, some folks were coming for his head. One day we will need to tell ourselves the truth, many folks who complain about corruption including many of those on this thread only do so because they are not the ones directly or indirectly benefiting.

Every sector of this country is roten. Almost like a mindset thing. It is not just politicians abeg.

Donbrig:
The uncomfortable truth here is because most Nigerians are thieves, if you have a big company and employ 100% Nigerians, you should prepare for bankruptcy in few years or months time. Because the main aim of 95 to 98% of Nigerian workers would be to steal from you and falsify all necessary documents.

Nigerians are some of the most fraudulent and criminally minded humans on earth, no matter how much you gonna be paying them as salaries, their criminal instinct will always tell them they could rise and become the boss, intead of taking orders from their fellow mate.

Nigerians don't like taking orders or play by the rules. This is one of the main reasons we have so many many fraudulent churches all over the country, assistant pastor or a regular church member would get tired of taking orders from senior pastor, his/her aim would be to open his own church, and the circle continues.

Either we believe it or not, we are not just normal humans, this is why we are the most disliked nationals on earth, not just our leaders, but our society is too hostile and unhealthy for rearing animals, much more raising human beings.

I rest my case.

Pls go take our Motor back joh