Stella Oduah Recommended for 3yrs in Prison for N255m Fraud

It has been proved that the minister of aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, compelled the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to purchase two BMW bulletproof cars that cost a whooping N255million.

The report reads: “That the contract for the purchase of the cars was not listed in the budget by NCAA, the agency compelled by the minister to make the purchase, and was not listed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). 

“That spending public funds on unbudgetted projects attracts three years in jail and a fine of N100,000 as stipulated by the ICPC Act.”

The House of Reps committee report added that Stella Oduah should face the consequence of spending public money on unbudgetted expenditure such as the purchase of the cars.

These were contained in the report of the House Committee that investigated the N255m scandal.

The lawmakers also disclosed that the NCAA did not comply with the Fiscal Responsibility Act on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as it has not been remitting its IGR to the federation account contrary to Section 177 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations (2009).

Going further, the committee indicted Oduah for approving an overinflated contract by approving a sum for the cars which international auto dealers have described as a “rip-off”.

“The minister has not addressed why the NCAA paid a price tag that auto dealers in the US and UK described as ‘a rip-off’. It is a fact that each of the BMW cars should cost no more than $167,000 which is approximately N36 million."

The report concluded thus:

“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should review the continued engagement of the Minister for Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, having contravened the 2013 appropriation and approved revised thresholds by exceeding her approval limit of N100m with the purchase of 54 vehicles valued at N643m”.