ndcide:



Is that the reason why the present FG refused to give the helicopters to RSG? Even when the governor had written to customs and the president?

So because of amaech.

Okay, the FG is no longer interested in the security of rivers state now.

Tomjazzy2:
The person that issued this statement should have atleast borrowed a clue from Wike and furnished us with facts, not mere allegations.


There should be copies of documents to show that attempts were indeed made to posses the said choppers, and that the Presidency declined them all.


Either ways, if we are to believe these claims by Ameachi, it then means that he equally worked to frustrate Wike's efforts at possessing the same choppers when he became Governor.

Talk more of political vendetta that is a key feature in our political landscape

ddippset:
that was your post. how does that post correlate with the matter at hand?

Akainzo:


Here is a link to the fact. This is a newspaper report from April 2013. http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-east/129199-we-bought-two-helicopters-but-for-security-reasons-governor-amaechi-says.html

eph12:

I don't think anybody is disputing the fact that Amaechi bought those helicopters. The issue on ground now is that why is the RSG unable to clear it at custom? Is it the same reason Amechi couldn't do so?

007truthbetold:
HOW PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN, NYESOM WIKE PREVENTED & BLOCKED RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT FROM TAKING POSSESSION OF THE CONTROVERSIAL HELICOPTERS- AMAECHI

Our attention has been drawn to misrepresentations and innuendoes as it concerns the immediate past Governor of Rivers State and current minister of Transportation Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in the purchase and importation of two helicopters into Nigeria that was supposedly abandoned at the Murtala Mohammed International airport, Lagos. To set the records straight, we wish to state the following facts:

1. Recall that when Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi took over as Governor of Rivers State, criminals masquerading as militants, kidnappers and all other criminal elements were on the prowl in Rivers State. With a strong political will to tackle these menaces and make the State a safe place, Amaechi initiated a lot of measures to deal with the menace. Purchasing these helicopters was one of the measures the Amaechi administration took to curb the clandestine and criminal activities in the state. And the decision to go for these helicopters was based on the advice and recommendation of security experts and specialists that were working closely with our Nigerian security agents to rid the state of these criminals- kidnappers, pipeline vandals, vicious political cultists etc.

2. Sequel to the recommendation of security experts, the Rivers State Government bought the two Bell 412 security surveillance helicopters during the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, in collaboration with the federal government through the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA). The federal government then was very impressed with the Amaechi administration’s security plan to curb criminality in the State and supported the plan all the way. To show their support, the Federal government through the office of the NSA contributed $15M (Fifteen Million Dollars), about half of the total sum, towards the purchase of the helicopters. Also, the then former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration granted waivers to the Rivers State government to purchase and import the helicopters.[/i][i][b][/b]

3. However, trouble started many months later when the helicopters became ready for the Rivers State Government to take possession of them and use them to fight crime and the criminals in the land and creeks of the State. The President Goodluck Jonathan administration frustrated and rebuffed all attempts by Amaechi and the Rivers State government to take possession of the helicopters. Note that the said helicopters were partly funded by the federal government and that would be operated and managed by federal security agencies in collaboration with the Rivers State government.

4. This strange twist was most baffling to the Rivers State government. Many would recall that, Amaechi as Governor of Rivers State at different times cried out and spoke loudly about the refusal of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to allow the Rivers State government take possession of the security surveillance helicopters. It was about security, the safety of lives and property, but the Jonathan administration refused and bluntly blocked the Rivers State government from taking possession of the helicopters. The same helicopters the federal government had months back, partly funded and had granted approvals and waivers for the purchase and importation into the country.

5. It was obvious why the President Goodluck Jonathan administration acted the way it did and Nyesom Wike, the present Governor of Rivers State was an integral part, a major player in the whole conspiracy to block and prevent Rivers State government from taking possession of the helicopters. Then, as a minister in President Jonathan’s cabinet, Wike inundated President Jonathan with lies and fake stories of how then Governor Amaechi wanted to use the helicopters for Presidential campaigns against Jonathan, how Amaechi will use the helicopters to support President Jonathan’s opponents before and during the presidential elections and all sorts of concocted tales that created a false impression that the Amaechi government in Rivers State would use the helicopters against and to fight President Jonathan, and not to secure lives and property.

6. Wike then, was already nursing the ambition to run for the office of Governor of Rivers State, he didn’t care about the security of lives and property, his grand plot was to use the criminals, political cultists and criminal militants to harass, intimidate, terrorize, maim and even kill his political opponents and those that refused to support or vote for him before, during and after the elections. Wike knew early that he needed these criminal elements to rig his way to Rivers State government House, so he did everything to ensure that these criminals will be always available for him to use.

7. It is worrisome and indeed pathetic that Governor Nyesom Wike as usual, is again playing politics with the safety and security of Rivers people. The helicopters were procured by the Amaechi administration to curb the wanton menace of criminals in the State (which has since worsened under Wike’s watch), but in his usual habit, Governor Wike has decided to abandon and dump the helicopters, because he does not care about the safety and security of lives and property in the State. Sad, very sad.



RT. HON. CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI MEDIA OFFICE
January 29, 2017

Angelb4:
I'm even more concerned about the resources used for the helicopters. So Rivers money just went like that? Father Christmas State. Politics go make una dash this state to Ebonyi one day.

Naijalabel:
And yet we were told unknown importers.

SMH for Nigeria

http://www.naijalabel.com/2017/01/amaechi-reacts-to-seized-helicopters.html?m=1

Akainzo:


Wike has said the reason: Rivers State cannot pay the requisite Duties and accrued Demurrage charges.

Since Wike working with GEJ blocked the clearing since 2014 thereabout, the FG has changed its stance and now requires that everyone pays their fees.

eph12:

And Wike handed it over to the fg in which everything was documented. Why did the custom then turn around to cause problems?

agabusta:




If you abandon your goods at the point of entry without going to pay duty and demurrage, the goods will be tagged 'imported by unknown persons' and forfeited to the FG after a while. This is despite that your name is on it. So far you don't come to claim your goods with the evidence of duty and other required payment.

Akainzo:


Depends on how one looks at it. Most goods are deemed "ownerless" once they are not claimed after a period. Remember what you read is the understanding of the reporter and not what the customs man said verbatim.

eph12:

They were already handed over to the fg so the new owner is the fg and not RSG. Unless they had also rejected it.

40kobo77:
Devil will punish the PDP.

Wicked people.

SamiraF:


I am very happy that Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has taken such pains to detail his role in this helicopter matter. I hope Buhari, Osinbajo and EFCC, SFU, Police, Army and DSS are reading Amaechi's statement, which should be adopted as the chargesheet of his criminality and corruption.

Amaechi says ONSA contributed half of the cost of the 2 helicopters, that half being $15 million dollars.

The helicopters have been bought and imported, Nigerians can only assume, at the total cost of $30 million dollars.

Amaechi says that Goodluck Jonathan granted duty waiver.

Nigeria customs at Sahcol insists that the importer (Amaechi) paid duty of N11.8 billion naira.

The only incontrovertible fact here is that current Rivers State Governor Wike is not in possession of the true details since he is not the importer. Amaechi has admitted that he is in material fact the importer.

Can Aviation Minister Rotimi Amaechi please tell Nigerians how 2 Bell Helicopters manufactured in 2012, at a cost of $6 million dollars each became $15 million dollars each by the time he bought them?

Can Amaechi tell Nigerians what happened to the sum of N11.8 billion naira that he took from Rivers State Government coffers ostensibly as duty payments, for these 2 Bell Helicopters which he now admits he obtained duty waiver for?

For any doubting thomas that Amaechi looted Rivers State dry, every helicopter has a chassis number like a car. The 2 helicopters in question that are now impounded at Murtala Mohammed Airport can be tracked in detail.

Bell Helicopter 412EP, Chassis Number 36606 was manufactured in 2012, registered to Africair in Miami Florida - http://www.helis.com/database/cn/46148/

Bell Helicopter 412EP, Chassis Number 36608 was manufactured in 2012, registered to Africair in Miami Florida - http://www.helis.com/database/cn/46149/

Amaechi must account for the illicit profit of $18 million dollars he pocketed from claiming the helicopters cost $30 million dollars when in fact they cost $12 million dollars.

Amaechi must also account for the duty sum he removed from Rivers even though he knew the helicopters had duty waiver. In 2013/14, Amaechi would have converted that so called duty sum of N11.8 billion naira at CBN rate of around N160 to 1 dollar, that is $73.7 million dollars at the prohibitive duty that was actually waived. Customs has confirmed seeing documents for n11.8bn duty with no end-user certificate.

18 million dollars and 73.7 million dollars has disappeared in this Amaechi's sole trader of helicopters importation scam.

Nigerians are not blind, Amaechi must refund the $91.7 million dollars he stole in only 1 transaction.

40kobo77:
Devil will punish the PDP.

Wicked people.

ajbf:
2. Sequel to the recommendation of security experts, the Rivers State Government bought the two Bell 412 security surveillance helicopters during the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, in collaboration with the federal government through the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA). The federal government then was very impressed with the Amaechi administration’s security plan to curb criminality in the State and supported the plan all the way. To show their support, the Federal government through the office of the NSA contributed $15M (Fifteen Million Dollars), about half of the total sum, towards the purchase of the helicopters. Also, the then former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration granted waivers to the Rivers State government to purchase and import the helicopters.



Look at the above statements very well. Federal Government contributed 15 million dollars (about 7.5 billon nairas) to the two choppers and still APC led FG came out to say that the choppers belong to unknown persons

ddippset:
that was your post. how does that post correlate with the matter at hand?

adanny01:
The position of Ameachi sheds more light in the fracas.

It is very obvious that some illegal things were done to get the helicopters here but because of political differences, the helicopters got stuck. I is obvious Ameachi bought it, but couldnt get to use it. Its obvious that because of change in government, Wike is getting a bite of his own concoction by the FG seizing them.

Tit for Tat. The FG/whole of Nigerians win Rivers state/indigent people lose.

ionsman:
No need for this...Any sane mind would have known Wike was spewing thrash.His story was bereft of common sense.

SamiraF:


I am very happy that Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has taken such pains to detail his role in this helicopter matter. I hope Buhari, Osinbajo and EFCC, SFU, Police, Army and DSS are reading Amaechi's statement, which should be adopted as the chargesheet of his criminality and corruption.

Amaechi says ONSA contributed half of the cost of the 2 helicopters, that half being $15 million dollars.

The helicopters have been bought and imported, Nigerians can only assume, at the total cost of $30 million dollars.

Amaechi says that Goodluck Jonathan granted duty waiver.

Nigeria customs at Sahcol insists that the importer (Amaechi) paid duty of N11.8 billion naira.

The only incontrovertible fact here is that current Rivers State Governor Wike is not in possession of the true details since he is not the importer. Amaechi has admitted that he is in material fact the importer.

Can Aviation Minister Rotimi Amaechi please tell Nigerians how 2 Bell Helicopters manufactured in 2012, at a cost of $6 million dollars each became $15 million dollars each by the time he bought them?

Can Amaechi tell Nigerians what happened to the sum of N11.8 billion naira that he took from Rivers State Government coffers ostensibly as duty payments, for these 2 Bell Helicopters which he now admits he obtained duty waiver for?

For any doubting thomas that Amaechi looted Rivers State dry, every helicopter has a chassis number like a car. The 2 helicopters in question that are now impounded at Murtala Mohammed Airport can be tracked in detail.

Bell Helicopter 412EP, Chassis Number 36606 was manufactured in 2012, registered to Africair in Miami Florida - http://www.helis.com/database/cn/46148/

Bell Helicopter 412EP, Chassis Number 36608 was manufactured in 2012, registered to Africair in Miami Florida - http://www.helis.com/database/cn/46149/

Amaechi must account for the illicit profit of $18 million dollars he pocketed from claiming the helicopters cost $30 million dollars when in fact they cost $12 million dollars.

Amaechi must also account for the duty sum he removed from Rivers even though he knew the helicopters had duty waiver. In 2013/14, Amaechi would have converted that so called duty sum of N11.8 billion naira at CBN rate of around N160 to 1 dollar, that is $73.7 million dollars at the prohibitive duty that was actually waived. Customs has confirmed seeing documents for n11.8bn duty with no end-user certificate.

18 million dollars and 73.7 million dollars has disappeared in this Amaechi's sole trader of helicopters importation scam.

Nigerians are not blind, Amaechi must refund the $91.7 million dollars he stole in only 1 transaction.