The Area Controller of the zone, Usman Dakingari, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Kaduna that the vehicle had no end user certificate.

He explained that such vehicles are only imported with the permission of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

“Once you import a bullet proof vehicle which is a security vehicle through the ports legally, you are expected to have and end user permit which shows that the vehicle will be used normally. An end user certificate is only issued by the NSA,” Dakingari added.

The controller disclosed that the unit had also seized a trailer conveying illicit drugs along Lokoja expressway in Kogi, and another trailer conveying smuggled rice on Kano-Zari road.

He added that another vehicle containing bales of second hand clothes was also apprehended by the unit.

“The information about the contraband and illicit drugs was gotten from the service intelligence unit and concerned individuals.

“The seizures were made by roving patrol officers; we accosted the trailer conveying the illicit drugs along Lokoja expressway and our suspicion became right.

“We saw some cartons of tramadol and Viagra in the other trailer, but we have not yet verified the total number and the efficacy and production method of the enhancers.’’

The controller stated that the intercepted drugs would be handed over to the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency for further investigation.

On the seized rice, Dakingari said it was found covered by bags of beans in the seized trailer.

“We know the policy of the Federal Government concerning imported rice; government wants the country to be sufficient in local rice production.

“Yet the smugglers keep bringing in foreign rice, thereby sabotaging government efforts.

“We seized the vehicle with foreign rice packed in 100kg local bags with other 50kg empty foreign bags kept aside with the intent of re-bagging them on arrival.’’

NAN reports that the FOU Zone B of the Nigeria Customs Service covers 10 states across the North including the Federal Capital Territory.

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Chairman of the committee, Nkiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha, said NCAA have no business keeping the cars, stressing that the contract terms between NCAA and Coscharis Motors should be cancelled and the money recovered from the supplier.

She made this call while on an oversight visit to the agencies at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

“What we said about the bullet proof cars is that the contract should be cancelled and that they do not have any business keeping the cars. It should be returned to the supplier and then recover our money,” adding that due process was not followed in the contract.

Earlier, the acting Director-General of NCAA, Engr. Benedict Adeliyela, said that the cars were parked at the NCAA’s office in Abuja.

Commenting on the concession agreement entered into by Federal Aviation Agency Nigeria, FAAN, and First Bank, Onyejeocha said the concession agreement was not favourable to FAAN, noting that the bank was not supposed to be doing revenue automation at the airport.

She was reacting to the statement of the Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Donuma, that FAAN did not have any relationship with Avitech, who is the company responsible for airport automation.

According to Donuma, First Bank was the party that partners with Avitech to be collecting money from the airport on behalf of the bank.

Onyejeocha said the house was not satisfied with the concession agreements, saying “we have a strong opinion about some concessions, especially the one with Avitech.

“They said they were not directly in contact with Avitech, that it is First Bank that they know. They know that we are not satisfied and that is why they said that the zero car park had been terminated, which means their concerns is also our concern.

“On the issue of Bi-Courtney and Meavis, I think it will be better than what we have with First Bank. That was why during the bullet-proof issue, you already access more than N600 million from First Bank because they are collecting your money. So it is wrong.

“You said it with your mouth that Avitech is a technical partner to First Bank. The bank collects revenue. Do we need a bank for automation? A bank cannot come and do automation in airport. It simply means you just exist.

“You are just sitting here and your money goes somewhere else. So I do not know how you will balance that. If we say Meavis is bad business, First Bank should be the worse. They do not have any business collecting our revenue.

“I know that you should have somebody that should be collecting revenue and paying to the bank and that person is answerable to you since you do not have direct relationship with Avitech. It means that something is wrong because you said you do not have a relationship with Avitech that you only have relationship with First Bank.

“How will FAAN have a relationship with a bank apart from keeping of your money? There cannot be even proper accounting of the revenue because as they are progressing, you are retrogressing.”

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Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Coordinating Minister for Economy, said this at the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation investigating the two bullet-proof cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

She said the only waiver granted by her office was for the Lagos State Government to purchase 300 units of cars for Eko 2012 games.

“On June 20, 2012, Lagos State applied for a waiver for assorted vehicles of 300 units of cars and it was granted, but no waivers was granted for bullet-proof cars,’’ she said.

It would be recalled that the Deputy Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Manasa Jatau, told the committee that the waiver granted included the bullet-proof cars.

The minister said it was not proper to advice the committee on the issue of waivers as the matter was under investigation.

“It is not proper to give any advice on a matter that is under investigation. The right thing to do is to refer to the laws,’’ the minister said.

Okonjo-Iweala said she would limit herself to only the waiver issue as requested by the committee in its letter to her.

She said the president had powers under the common external tariffs policy which covered the whole of West Africa and Nigeria to give waivers.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, appeared before the committee on Oct.31, and she denied her involvement on the purchase of the cars.

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