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A top operative of the anti-graft agency, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity in Abuja on Thursday, said that the EFCC commenced investigation into the scandal on Wednesday.
This is happening as the Federal Government is intensifying efforts to unmask those that leaked the documents on the purchase of two BMW armoured cars at an allegedly inflated price of N255m for the Aviation Minister, Ms Stella Oduah.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the Federal Government had summoned all the heads of the agencies in the Ministry of Aviation to Abuja on Monday.
The source said a team of EFCC investigators from the Abuja office of the commission was under instruction to ensure a discreet investigation into the scandal.
It was learnt that some of the directors in strategic positions in the commission had been quizzed by the EFCC.
It was learnt that the hunt for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority official who leaked the story of the purchase to the public had also heightened tension in other agencies and parastatals under the ministry as workers were being quizzed by the management of these agencies. Investigations by Saturday PUNCH showed that the Aviation Ministry had been mounting pressure on the NCAA to fish out the whistleblower.
Our correspondent, who visited the Lagos office of the NCAA, also learnt that the staff members had been infiltrated by members of the State Security Service, prompting suspicion among the workers. The workers said they had been warned not to talk to journalists or any stranger on the issue.
It was also learnt that that members of staff from various cadres were randomly quizzed by senior management officials over the leaked documents.
Our correspondent gathered that the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mr. George Uriesi, the Director General, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, Mr. Nnamdi Udoh, and the Director-General, NCAA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, were summoned to Abuja on Monday and were still in Abuja as at the time of filing this report.
Employees at the ministry hardly speak on issues touching the car scandal for fear of not being victimised or fingered as the possible sources of the leak.
Akinkuotu had stated that the agency would investigate the source of the leak, stressing that the information was released to the public illegally.
Akinkuotu’s comment came after an online medium, SaharaReporters, revealed that the agency spent a whopping N255m on two BMW cars for the aviation minister.
The development had since sparked criticisms and protests in the country.
A senior personnel at the NCAA, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, told our correspondent that the investigation might start with the directors, who were still in Abuja. “They were invited as part of the investigation into unravelling the source of the leak of the information on the cars,’’ the official said.
The official added, “The investigation has already commenced and it has intensified because our directors, especially those whose offices were affected, have been invited to Abuja. They will be there till the conclusion of the public hearing on this issue by the National Assembly.”
Another official at the agency said the investigation had started in earnest although no worker had been threatened by the management.
The source said, “The investigation is on. They (management) don’t need to let the workers know. But the DG said it and I don’t think he was kidding. There is fear that innocent persons might fall victim and that is why we want the investigators to do a thorough job on this issue.”
On Thursday, our correspondent contacted the Head of Media and Communications of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujanren, whose response confirmed the ongoing EFCC investigations into what has been termed ‘Oduahgate’.
Uwujanren said that he would not say anything about the EFCC investigation into the issue as it would be premature to do so.
“I cannot make any comment on the ongoing investigation because it would be premature to do so,” he said.
Also when contacted, the spokesperson for the aviation agencies in the ministry, Mr. Yakubu Dati, said what the NCAA boss said as regards plans to investigate the source of the leak was binding.
Dati, however, stated that threats of mass sack in the NCAA or the ministry were rumours.
He said, “I cannot respond to rumours and I don’t react to speculations. If there is anything that needs to be said, it has been said by the DG NCAA.”
The DG, while explaining why the agency bought the vehicles at a press briefing in Abuja, had said, “I am not saying that this particular information should not be put in the public domain. But how it was obtained is the concern. If somebody breaks into an office and makes copies of official documents, then the break-in has become criminal.
“So we are in the process of trying to find the source of this leak and I am very concerned about it. Because this information may look trivial but there are other information that we have that are confidential and it is only fair for us to respect the confidentiality of information. I am not saying that they broke into our office, but they obtained the information illegally.”
Akinkuotu said he was stunned to see the documents in the open, stressing that the information were leaked illegally.
He said he was “shell shocked that government information and particularly information from the civil aviation authority has gotten into public purview in an illegal manner. It is criminal! However, what has been done has been done, but I think when such information is gotten, you should have come to the agency to ask. We are not shy to take your questions.”
In Lagos, there was palpable tension within the premises of NCAA. Members of staff of the agency looked uncomfortable when our correspondent went there on Thursday. Some of them wondered why so many Nigerians were interested in the issue.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that although there were no fixed rules guiding the current probe, workers in the audit and accounts departments had especially been jittery over the development.
One of the staff members who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity expressed fears that some people not connected to the issue might lose their jobs.
The worker said, “There is general unease in the system, people are working in fear because we hear all those found guilty will be sacked and in matters like this, some innocent people could suffer for what they know nothing about.
“I think the issue is being blown out of proportion, and we guess that other similar issues in the past would be dug-up and more people may be in trouble.”
Another worker said, “Well, we have been verbally warned about saying things anyhow to people, because we do not know the tactics they might employ in trying to trap anyone, so, I don’t want to say anything that might land me in trouble.
“We hear that those quizzed are being asked not to tell others and that SSS officials are all over the place here, but I can’t say.”
When our correspondent tried to gain entry into the NCAA office on different occasions, she was denied entrance by some security operatives at the gate.
“You are from the press? We have not been informed of any press meeting here, and there are no cars here for inspection, you can go to Abuja for more information,” one of them told our correspondent. However, there was no name tag attached to the operative’s uniform.
The spokesperson of the NCAA, Mr. Fan Ndubuike, told our correspondent over the phone that he could not answer any questions on the issue.
“Listen to me, my boss cannot be facing enquiries in Abuja in the House while you people would also be quizzing me here on the same issue. You should watch the television, it is ongoing or you tell your guys in Abuja to monitor the issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, workers of the ministry of aviation have called on the government to do a thorough investigation of the scandal. They expressed worry that the development had increased suspicion in the agencies affected.
According to them, people were becoming apprehensive to speak to colleagues on the issue.
A worker at the ministry said, “You can’t comfortably speak with your colleague not to talk of speaking with a press man on the scandal, there is tension everywhere please.”
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