…Letters reveal Wike offered copters to Air Force

By Enyeribe Ejiogu and Chris Anucha

Two armoured helicopters, which the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) claimed over the weekend to have impounded at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, were bought by the Minister of Transport, Chief Rotimi Amaechi.

While handing over the two helicopters and the 23 consignments of accessories,  allegedly imported into the country illegally, to the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) last Friday, Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Dan Ugo had claimed that the owners could not provide the mandatory End User Certificate from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Ugo’s revelation created concern about who imported aircraft valued at N9.7 billion with capacity to be deployed for military operations. He also stated that the consignment was seized on November 7, last year.

However, contrary to the claim by the Customs deputy Comptroller  general that the owners of the helicopters were at large, documents available to Sunday Sun showed that Chief Amaechi actually imported the helicopters while he was governor of Rivers State.

While the relationship with the Jonathan administration was cozy and chummy, the Rivers State Government had obtained waivers from the Federal Government in 2013,  to import the two helicopters and accessories, which cost about US$29 million, without paying duty in view of the public interest purpose for their acquisition. But before the choppers were ready for shipment to Nigeria, Amaechi fell out with the Jonathan administration. Thereafter, subsequent efforts made by Amaechi to utilize the clearance granted for the importation of the helicopters became hindered and remained in limbo until his tenure expired. The helicopters and accessories later arrived Nigeria and were held in storage in the warehouse of SAHCOL Limited at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos.

It is instructive that right from conception, the intent of the Rivers State government was that the helicopters would be managed and utilized by the Nigeria Air Force. For this purpose, the Amaechi administration built a special facility in Port Harcourt that would serve as the command base of the anticipated helicopters when eventually put into the service of the state.

The intent of the erstwhile Amaechi administration got caught up in the 2015 political web, such that he was accused of planning to use the helicopters for political campaigns, a charge he vehemently denied.

“The truth is that, and the Federal Government is aware, they gave us approval to buy two helicopters to fly around the state for the purpose of security and we have done that, we bought and we paid.

“Up till now, they have not allowed the helicopter to come in. Maybe they are afraid that it is for 2015. Please help us beg them on behalf of the state that we need the aircraft to be able to secure the people of the state,” Amaechi told the media at the time.

As the then Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenitari disclosed to the media, “the two Bell 412 helicopters have camera payload for aerial surveillance of Rivers State were purchased, as part of the state government’s collaboration with the Federal Government and its support for the security agencies in the state. The total cost of the helicopters was US$29 million. The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Office of the National Security Adviser paid US $15 million, while the Rivers State Government paid the balance. The Federal Government granted duty waiver. The aircraft are being freighted into Nigeria and will be reassembled in Lagos.

“The helicopters are to be operated by the Nigerian Police in conjunction with the oil companies who have offered to bear some of the operating cost to enable government to combat the menace of oil bunkering.”

Upon assumption of office, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike revived the pipeline aerial surveillance initiative of the previous administration. In a letter dated September 28, 2015, and addressed to the Comptroller General of Customs, to seek for provisional release of the helicopters pending when it would receive a revalidated waiver from the Minister of Finance, the governor said: “We are all aware about the serious security challenges in the country, part of which is the recurring vandalisation of oil pipelines and installations in Rivers State, which to a large extent adversely affect the economy of the country.

“As part of measures to tackle this challenge, the Rivers State Government has imported two Bell 412 helicopters into the country for aerial monitoring and security surveillance of oil and gas pipelines and other facilities in the state.

“These helicopters which will be fully equipped with night vision capabilities, cameras and armour plating and other sensitive accessories for day and night operations, are among the transactions we inherited from the previous administration.

“The helicopters were duly imported based on extant import guidelines to which invoice and Form M were duly obtained. Already they presently domiciled at the SAHCOL Limited premises in Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

“The Rivers State Government is requesting a provisional release of the helicopters due to the high sensitivity of the equipment attached to them and also to avoid unbearable demurrage while awaiting a response from the Honourable Minister of Finance on our application for duty waiver.”

Then on December 13, 2015, the governor wrote to the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun to seek a re-validation of the expired certificate on waiver of import duty, VAT and all related taxes in respect of the importation of the two units of Bell 412 helicopters, previously granted to his predecessor.

In making the case for revalidation, he recalled the salient facts and told the minister: “Recall that the Honorable Minister of Finance granted waivers to the Rivers State Government in 2013 vide Ref No. BO/R10260/S/11/336 dated 26th February, 2013 for the importation of a Bombardier Aircraft (Global Vision 5000 Series) monorail equipment and two units of Bell 412 surveillance helicopters.

“The minister is invited to note that waivers earlier granted on the importation of the two helicopters are yet to be utilized by the state government due to unforeseen circumstances occasioned by the inability of the previous administration to import the helicopters into the country.

“Consequently, and in view of the fact that the two helicopters have been lying at NAHCO terminal in Lagos accumulating demurrage since September 2015, it is our prayers that the Honourable Minister kindly consider and approve the revalidation of expired certificate on waiver of import duty, VAT, and all other taxes in connection to the importation of the two units of Bell helicopter with kits for oil pipeline monitoring and security surveillance service as earlier approved in 2013.”

The government got no response. Rather what came from the Nigeria Customs Service was a reply to the governor’s earlier letter to the Customs CG, signed on his behalf by the Customs Controller M. Jibrin, in the Tariff and Trade Department of the Import and Export Division at the headquarters of the Service.

The letter read in part: “I am directed to notify you, in line with extant import guidelines, to pursue the issuance of the Duty Exemption Certificate, or in the alternative, pay the appropriate duties and apply for Duty Refund after the Duty Refund after the Duty Exemption is granted by the Honourable Minister.”

With the seeming refusal of the finance minister to re-validate the waiver certificate, the government became unable to clear the helicopter as it could not pay the duty and accumulated demurrage amounting to about N9 billion. Consequently, it decided to donate the helicopters to the Air Force.

In a letter to the Chief of Air Staff, dated March 14, 2016, Governor Wike said: “In view of the special nature of the operations for which they were acquired, the Rivers State Government considers it necessary to place and transfer the aircraft to the custody and management of the Nigerian Air Force.”

Speaking to Sunday Sun on the controversial helicopters yesterday, an official of the Rivers State Government, who declined to be named, described as hypocritical claims by the Customs that the aircraft were imported illegally and that the owners were at large.

Also commenting on the matter last night, Amaechi’s spokesman, David Iyofor said the helicopters were bought by the Rivers State Government and not the personal property of Rotimi Amaechi.

Iyofor said the helicopters were inherited by the Wike administration, adding that any clarification or information about them should be directed to the new government.