AMOURED HELICOPTERS: Amaechi owns up, alleges sabotage by Jonathan, Wike

Former Governor of Rivers State, and now Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, has owned up on the controversial amoured helicopters said to have been seized and handed over to the Federal Government after its importers allegedly abandoned them with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

His successor in office, Governor Nyesom Wike, had on Saturday cleared the air on what he considered was a misrepresentation of facts by the NCS. He said that contrary to claims, the choppers were not seized but that his office had written to the presidency to take possession of them as Rivers State could ill-afford the huge cost of clearing the items.

Addressing the issue on Sunday, however, Amaechi admitted, through a statement, that his administration had initiated the purchase of the choppers but that former President Goodluck Jonathan and Wike had frustrated the transaction which was meant to check the activities of militants and vandals in the State.

Said he, “It was about security, the safety of lives and properties, but the Jonathan administration refused and bluntly blocked the Rivers State government from taking possession of the helicopters.

“The same helicopters the Federal Government had months back, partly funded and had granted approvals and waivers for the purchase and importation into the country.”

The statement read in part, “With a strong political will to tackle these menace and make the State a safe place, Amaechi initiated a lot of measures to deal with the menace.

“Purchasing these helicopters was one of the measures the Amaechi administration took to curb the clandestine and criminal activities in the state.

“And the decision to go for these helicopters was based on the advice and recommendation of security experts and specialists that were working closely with our Nigerian security agents to rid the state of these criminals- kidnappers, pipeline vandals, vicious political cultists etc.

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“Sequel to the recommendation of security experts, the Rivers State Government bought the two Bell 412 security surveillance helicopters during the administration of Amaechi, in collaboration with the federal government through the office of the National Security Adviser.”

It added, “To show their support, the Federal government through the office of the NSA contributed $15m, about half of the total sum, towards the purchase of the helicopters. Also, the then former President Goodluck Jonathan administration granted waivers to the Rivers State government to purchase and import the helicopters.

“However, trouble started many months later when the helicopters became ready for the Rivers State Government to take possession of them and use to fight crime and the criminals in the land and creeks of the State.

“The President Goodluck Jonathan administration frustrated and rebuffed all attempts by Amaechi and the Rivers State government to take possession of the helicopters.”

Wike, a protege of Amaechi, has had a running battle with his former boss over political control of the state, and it is believed by analysts that the matter of the abandoned choppers was more of an ego war than resources.

The choppers have since been handed over to Nigerian Airforce for conversion and deployment.

 

 

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