N255m cars scandal: Group threatens to expose 242 government officials that own armoured cars

In reaction to the call by a section of Nigeria that Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah be sacked for her involvement in the alleged purchase of N255M bulletproof cars for National Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, a group known as Oke Ndigbo has threatened to release names of about 242 public officers in Nigeria, who own and use about 312 armoured cars. The group further threatened to drag them before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC.

The group criticised those attacking the Minister from the South-West zone, since the controversial bulletproof vehicles become a topical issue amongst Nigerians, saying that the attack was borne out of sentiment.

The group in a statement by its National Co-ordinator, Mr Jude Nworah, said that the South-West has more than 38 percent or 118 bulletproof cars currently being used in the country. The group further disclosed that the first government official in the first four years of this Republic to have imported armoured Mercedes Benz Jeep into the country was a former governor from the South-West.

It said: “We have done our research; we have the figure of the purchase and other details, and even the ones he uses today. Even the National Security Adviser’s office can’t dispute this accurate data. We would do the best of sending this list to the National Assembly, EFCC, ICPC for full public investigation of the involved persons, including National Assembly members, ministers, governors, security officials, among others. Good enough, with the South-West commanding 38 percent of this compendium, the stench would fester more in the region.

“We have been keen observers of the war that has been on in the aviation sector targeted at Princess Oduah, the Minister of Aviation. It has been an interesting outing, and since we know how the war started and the manner it is being executed, we have at this time resolved to be part of it as a pressure group on the rights of Ndigbo (Oke Ndigbo) in a country divided and polarised at every point by ethnicity and other parochial sentiments.

“For the records, we state that if Stella Oduah was taken up on clear grounds of misconduct, we would not be part of her battle. But because we have deep knowledge of the ethnic bias on this calumny intended to edge her out because she is Igbo, we would join this fight as we have resolved.

“After Oduah’s appearance before the House of Representatives, we have been convinced that the facts are open from her explanation that we should do ourselves the sincere good of separating between Stella Oduah and the Minister for Aviation. The two are not the same.”