Melaye, Others Arrested For Staging Protest Over Armoured Cars Purchase

A group of anti-corruption campaigners led by a former lawmaker, Dino Melaye today stormed the federal secretariat in Abuja demanding the removal of the embattled Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.

The decision to organise the protest was borne out of the news of the purchase of two armoured cars worth about N255 million by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) allegedly for the minister.

The protest got dramatic as another group staged a counter-protest in support of the embattled Aviation Minister.

According reports, the police have arrested Mr Melaye and some other protesters.

The House of Representatives had mandated its committee on aviation to investigate the controversy surrounding the purchase of two exotic armoured vehicles by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) which are said to be for the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.

The resolution followed a debate on a motion of urgent national importance by the minority whip Samson Osagie who brought up the matter during plenary.

The lawmaker said given the poverty in the land, it was unpatriotic for an agency of government to incur such expenditure for the comfort and safety of one public officer.

Members of the committee of aviation speaking during the debate said the committee had not approved that expenditure in the agency’s budget.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Fola Akinkuotu had reacted to media reports on the circumstances surrounding the procurement of two BMW 760 LI armoured series cars by the agency after the purchase of the armoured vehicles began generating reactions from groups and Nigerians alike.

The NCAA DG stated that the cars are operational vehicles used in the varied operations of the NCAA including transporting the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah and aviation-related foreign dignitaries.

He also said the purchase of the two cars which cost N255m followed due process and the NCAA remains focused on enforcing standards and promoting safety in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).