The award of a N6 billion contract for the procurement of K38 patrol boats for the Nigeria Army has become a subject of investigation, with the Department of State Security (SSS) and a probe panel looking into the contract, which was awarded to Hypertech Nigeria Ltd, working with a foreign counterpart, Hypertech (UK) Ltd.
As part of the investigation, a former National Security Adviser (NSA) (name withheld), has been summoned to explain what he knows about the contract. Saturday Sun gathered that his invitation followed statements made by two Israeli security consultants,
Shay Tal and David Maman, as well as Air Vice Marshal Saliu Atawodi, chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Security (PICOMSS), who had already been quizzed by the SSS. The investigation, which started at the office of the National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (retd), is coming on the heels of a petition dated October 12, 2012, entitled, “Conspiracy, fraud, supervision & compromising of Nigeria’s National Security and Official Corruption in the award and execution of National Security and Defence Projects in Nigeria.”
The petition said that a group of Jews operating under many guises connived with a few unpatriotic Nigerian government officials and businessmen to fleece the contract. The petition signed by one Hassan Rabiu, Managing Director of Hypertech (UK) Ltd, is pointing fingers at two firms owned by the two Israelis: MI5 Consultant and International Security Consultants, whose address is given as No.5, Thabo Mbeki Street, Socorro Shopping Mall, Asokoro in Abuja. Other companies and persons listed in the petition are Hypertech Nigeria Limited, owned and operated by one Mohammed Mustapha of No.14, Zaire Street, off Mississippi Street, Maitama, in Abuja, AVM Saliu Atawodi, Chairman of PICOMSS; Amit Sadeh, owner of Dolyatec, another Israeli operating in Nigeria and TP Marine, a Holland firm that manufactures K38 military boats.
According to the petition, the Ministry of Defence awarded a contract to Amit’s company, Dolyatec to supply 20 units of the K38 patrol boats to the Nigeria Army at the cost of over N3 billion. The company allegedly collected 80 per cent of the total contract sum and supplied only eight units of the boats. The balance of 12 boats is still outstanding. According to the petition, Hypertech CEO, in November 2011, was introduced to TP Marine B.V, the manufacturers of the boat, by the firm’s original agent, Mr. ZVi Turbo of Shval Saar Limited.
TP Marine, Hypetech’s MD claimed in his petition, expressed its willingness to sell the remaining 12 unpaid boats at auction price to offset its banking obligation. In the face of the deadlock, Hypertech got government’s nod to supply the remaining boats, but at the point of payment, another dispute arose on the real owners of the company. While Hassan Rabiu is laying claim to Hypertech (UK) Ltd, another person, Mohammed Mustapha, claimed to be the original owner of the company. It was gathered that with the coming of Dasuki as the new NSA, Hassan Rabiu-led Hypertech was introduced to the office, with a view to getting government to pay the company. Consequently, the sum of N174 million was released to Rabiu a few weeks ago, after a commitment that he was going to ensure that the remaining boats were supplied, a promise that was not kept.
To unravel the true owners of the company and get it to deliver on its contractual obligation to the Federal Government, President Jonathan was said to have directed the NSA and the DSS to probe the scandal. The DSS was said to have extended invitations to the two Israelis, AVM Saliu and Hassan Rabiu. While the others have honoured their invitation and made statements, Rabiu never did but was said to have sent a letter to say that he was in Saudi Arabia and won’t be back in the country until the first week in November.
Saturday Sun further learnt that based on statements already made by those that had appeared before the panel, a decision was taken to formally send a letter of invitation to the ex-NSA to explain what he knows about the transaction and the companies involved. Not ready to be dragged down without a fight, Hassan Rabiu, in an email reaction to the allegations against him, said the scandal was not about N3 billion but 15.5m Euros, adding that it had nothing to do with any former NSA, but a fraud/corruption perpetrated by a top shot in PICOMSS, in collaboration with two Jews operating in Nigeria.
He said: “The 15.5m Euro scandal is only a tip of the iceberg, as it is interconnected and related to the theft of over 200m Euros through PICOMSS, the unapproved expenditures of tens of millions of dollars by PICOMSS including the purchase of two private jets, etc, etc. and the swindling of the MOD (Ministry of Defence) of mega million dollars by a second set of Jews all directly involved in swindling Nigeria over the years.
“I swore to an affidavit before a court of law attesting to these claims and petitioned the DG-SSS. I equally petitioned the EFCC, the ICPC, Hon. Minister of Justice, Hon. Minister of Finance, the COS-the President and Mr. President himself. I also petitioned the Defence Intelligence Agency, the NSA and several other relevant government agencies involved. “The story is a 1, 000 times bigger than you think, including the fraud that was the concessioning of the Nigerian Navy Naval Dockyard, Wilmot Point, Lagos.”
The Sun
No comments:
Post a Comment