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GOV WIKE: Customs lied about 2 helicopters, Amaechi bought them, Rivers donated them to NAF

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WIKE TO BURATAI: Don't grumble, stop assigning soldiers to politicians

Governor Nyesom Wike has revealed that the two armoured helicopters the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) said it impounded following their illegal importation belong to Rivers State government.

NCS had in a statement on Friday through a Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Dan Ugo, claimed that it intercepted two helicopters and 23 consignments of accessories illegally imported into the country.

He told newsmen in Lagos that the two helicopters and accessories which he said were valued at N9.7billion were impounded at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport.

He had added, “The Comptroller General of Customs, Retired Col. Hameed Ali, in appreciation of the roles of Air Force has directed that the equipment should be handed over to the Nigerian Air Force.”

However, Wike, in a statement through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, disclosed that he formally wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari and informed him of the intention of Rivers State government to hand over to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) the two armoured helicopters.

According to Wike, the two helicopters were purchased by a former administration in the state, under Rotimi Amaechi.

He explained that due to the high custom duty charged for the helicopters and the refusal of the present administration to grant the Rivers State government a waiver to clear the two armoured helicopters, he decided to hand it over to NAF.

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“These helicopters were imported by the immediate past administration. When I assumed office, we wrote to the Federal government that it was strictly for security use. What am I going to use armoured helicopters for?

“In any case, where will the Rivers State Government get money at this time to import armoured helicopters? The previous administration imported it because they had the money. I went to the Federal Government to give me a waiver for us to clear the helicopters, but the Federal Government refused.

“I wrote a letter to the President and to assure him that the helicopters are meant for security purposes, it should be handed over to the Nigerian Air Force,” he said.

The governor expressing how he reacted to the claims by NCS said, “I am surprised that they have started propaganda and political falsehood on the said armoured helicopters. What kind of country are they turning Nigeria into?

“We stated that we cannot pay the custom duties because the helicopters are not for commercial use. They are to be used to monitor the creeks and track criminals. I wrote to the President to give the helicopters to the Airforce. It is shocking that the custom would turn around to claim that they impounded the helicopters.

“The Chief of Staff to the President admitted that I have done well when I wrote the letter to the President,”

The former governor, who is presently the Minister for Transport, had in December 2012, declared publicly that the state government for the purpose of security surveillance had made payment for two helicopters.

The Nigerian Customs Service is yet to react to Wike’s claim even as there are concerns over inter agency relationship in the country. Wike has had a running face-off with the Federal Government.

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0 Comments

  1. Roland Uchendu Pele

    January 29, 2017 at 9:20 am

    Governor Wike’s hatred for his predecessor Amaechi has known no bounds. It is evident that he would never let the Minister rest until his tenure is over. But why would Nigerians be continually fed with wrong information? Our leaders lack respect for us!

  2. Roland Uchendu Pele

    January 29, 2017 at 9:31 am

    To think that Customs would be very fast to claim that the Helicopters were illegally imported into the country without proper investigations is what one should note as a real blunder. At this level of our lives in Nigeria, proper and effective intel should be the order of the day in our forces. We can’t always expose our lack of intelligence all the time.

  3. Animashaun Ayodeji

    January 29, 2017 at 9:51 am

    There was miscommunication Britten Wike and customy

  4. Margret Dickson

    January 29, 2017 at 9:57 am

    I don’t understand what the customs would derive for miss leading the public.

  5. yanju omotodun

    January 29, 2017 at 11:58 am

    So what is Wike achieving in this? He just like blabbing like Fayose , his friend. The major thing is that , the aircrafts were bought with government money and now given to Naf.

    • JOHNSON PETER

      January 29, 2017 at 12:47 pm

      Wike has a point. Why would they lied to us that the aircrafts were impounded whereas it was not so. What is there for Federal to come out plain instead of being cunning .
      “Rivers state procured this helicopters and we felt they can’t use it because it is armoured helicopters meant for the armed force , so we have taken them from the state government meant for Nigerian Airforce use”

      It is as simple as that.

      • Nonso Ezeugo

        January 29, 2017 at 9:00 pm

        Yes oooooo

    • Deji Mamudu

      January 29, 2017 at 2:38 pm

      Stolen money

  6. Balarabe musa

    January 29, 2017 at 1:08 pm

    Hammed Ali is really working hard as the custom boss. We need to applaud him for such initiative to hand over the aircrafts to the Nigerian Airforce. If it were to be another boss, he could say the customs will be using the helicopters for their operations as well.

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