Why We Bought 2 Armoured BMW Cars for Aviation Minister

The minister of aviation, Stella Oduah, has explained that threats to her life over reforms in the aviation sector and the general insecurity in the country prompted the purchase the two armoured BMW cars worth N127. 575 million each.

The online news portal, saharareporters, had claimed that it obtained documents which showed the paper trail of the transaction involving Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), First Bank and Coscharis Motors. The cars were purchased by NCAA from Coscharis Motors, paying through accounts with First Bank.

But speaking with LEADERSHIP yesterday, the special assistant on media to the aviation minister, Mr. Joe Obi, said that when the minister came on board with her reforms, which included reversing some concessions and agreements that were not in the interest of the people and government of Nigeria, "a lot of entrenched interests felt that they had been dislocated from the sector. The minister began to receive series of threats to her life, but because of the general lack of security in the land, she did not want to raise an alarm but kept it quiet and then decided to protect herself. So those vehicles were purchased in response to the general state of security in the land and the personal threats to her life because of the giant steps she has taken to reposition the sector."

He said that the minister had been trailed several times and that there were clear and present dangers to her life which were averted or neutralised.

On why N127.575 million for each of the car, Obi said they were special purpose vehicles, even as he explained that the utility vehicles were bought in the name of the Minister of Aviation and not in the name of Stella Oduah.

"Normally, you don't buy one utility vehicle but you buy two at a time because you must have a back-up for public officials. The level of exposure which came with her job warranted the purchase of the vehicles. As a private citizen, she never had these vehicles," he added.

However, the general manager, Public Affairs of NCAA, Mr Fan Ndubuoke, said he was unaware that such vehicles were purchased for the minister.

 "I cannot comment on something I know nothing about," he insisted.

When contacted, the coordinating general manager, Aviation Agencies, Mr. Yakubu Dati, corroborated Obi's response - that threats to the minister safety prompted the purchases-  and said that he had nothing more to add.

Efforts to contact Coscharis Motors were unsuccessful as its officials failed to pick their calls and refused to answer a text message sent over the issue.

The aviation minister, Stella Oduah,  has come under fire for a number of air crashes and near misses in the last one year that have cost about 200 lives. Many aviation analysts have accused her of high-handedness in managing the ministry because of her closeness to the Presidency.

According to the documents obtained by saharareporters, the transaction for the purchase of the two BMW vehicles began in June 2013 but the request for their delivery and payment were hurriedly done between August 13 and 15, 2013.

The two black BMW Li HSS vehicles had chassis numbers WBAHP41050DW68032 and WBAHP41010DW68044 respectively and were delivered to NCAA on August 13, 2013.

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UK to pay 1million pounds for transfer of 534 Nigerian prisoners

Hundreds of Nigerian criminals will be sent home to serve out prison sentences under a deal set to be struck by ministers within weeks, according to a report by UK Daily Mail
Talks are continuing into reaching a compulsory prisoner transfer agreement, which could see more than half of the 500 criminals from Nigeria currently in UK jails repatriated.
Prisons minister Jeremy Wright told MailOnline how 'more foreign prisoners must serve their sentences in their own countries'.
Ministers have been ordered to step up efforts to end the scandal of more than one in eight prisoners being from overseas. David Cameron vowed to end the practice of the British taxpayer picking up the bill for criminals with no business in the UK.

UK Prime Minister said in 2010 that he would 'personally intervene' to send more foreign criminals home.

Britain has even made clear it would pay to build new prisons in countries like Nigeria to speed up the process of sending foreign criminals home. Up to £1million has been promised to upgrade Nigerian jails, including a new wing at Kirikiri Prison in Lagos.

Securing an agreement with Nigeria would be seen as a much more significant breakthrough. Latest figures show there were 534 Nigerian nationals in British jails, 485 men and 49 women.
 Nigerians account for one in 20 of all foreign prisoners, putting the country fifth in the league table of nations whose citizens have been jailed in the UK.
Justice Minister Mr Wright said: 'I am clear that more foreign prisoners must serve their sentences in their own countries. 

'That is why we are currently working with the Nigerian Government on a compulsory prisoner transfer agreement to increase the number of prisoners who are transferred.

'Legislation allowing Nigeria to enter such an arrangement was passed earlier this year by the Nigerian Parliament. We are now working with them on the text of a final agreement.'
Overflowing jails abroad have made it increasingly difficult to deport prisoners to their own country.

It is argued that by paying for building new jails or making existing ones more 'comfortable' so they approach British standards, will be repatriated.

FCT Minister Seals Adamawa State Government Lodge

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed, has explained that he sealed off the Adamawa State Governor's Lodge in the Maitama District, Abuja  because of what he termed abuse of the master plan.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, Muhammad Hazat Sule, read, "the FCT Administration has sealed-off the Adamawa State Governor's Lodge in the Maitama District of the Federal Capital City for abuse of the Abuja Master Plan.
"All the Governor's Lodges in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja are enshrined in the Abuja Master Plan to be for residential purposes but not for political party secretariat as Adamawa State Governor's Lodge is currently being used.
"The Governor's Lodge, as it is today, is being used as a political party office thereby negating the spirit of urban planning and causing nuisance and disturbance on the residents dwelling in that area of the
city as well as inflicting undue pressure on the infrastructure and services therein, contrary to the principles of the Abuja Master Plan".
"The FCT Administration will not rest on its oars until the entire 250 square kilometers of the Federal Capital City is rid of all illegal structures and/or illegal change of Land Use"