Nigeria Former Minister Of Aviation Stella Oduah under investigation for Money Laundery $1,600,000.00
Source: Nigerian Criminal Database
SaharaReporters in October of 2013, obtained documents further exposing the depth of corruption and mismanagement of public funds at Nigeria’s Ministry of Aviation headed by Stella Oduah. One of the documents details how Ms. Oduah compelled the cash-strapped Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to purchase two armored BMW cars for the minister. NCAA is the agency charged with ensuring the airworthiness of commercial planes flying within Nigeria’s airspace. Two officials of the agency told SaharaReporters that the NCAA did not have enough funds to upgrade equipment, send staff for critical training, and hire enough qualified staff. “Yet, all the minister is concerned about is to have two exotic BMW cars from the little money we have for operations,” one of the sources said.
The documents obtained by SaharaReporters indicate that the transaction for the purchase of the two BMW vehicles started in June 2013. However, the request for delivery of and payment for the two vehicles was fast-tracked between August 13 and 15 2013. The transaction involved the NCAA, First Bank of Nigeria, and Coscharis Motors Limited.
In a letter dated August 13, 2013, J.D Nkemakolam of the NCAA sent a letter to the Managing Director of Coscharis Motors asking the company to deliver to the NCAA two BMW 760 armored vehicles based on a pro-forma invoice dated June 25, 2013 at the cost of N127, 575,000 ($796,846.21) each. The total amount for the two vehicles came to N255,150,000, or $1,593,687.31. The NCAA’s letter directed Coscharis Motors to deliver the vehicles with sales invoices, delivery notes, and attestation documents.
Our documents reveal that the payment for the vehicles was made into a First Bank of Nigeria account (number 2018912995 with sort code: 0111152303), according to a letter signed by Godwin Umeaka, Coscharis’ group financial controller.
The two black BMW Li HSS vehicles had chases numbers WBAHP41050DW68032 and WBAHP41010DW68044 respectively. The two cars were delivered to the NCAA on August 13, 2013, where it was received by two store managers, F. Onoabhagbe and Y.A. Amzat (who is also the agency’s head of transport). On August 15, 2013, Sola Ogunsakin of the NCAA signed off to certify completion of the transaction.
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UPDATE 1; Presidential panel indicted Oduah on December 19, 2013, the House endorsing the report of its committee and agreed that the minister breached the 2013 Appropriation Act and recommended her sack.
UPDATE 2; On February 12, 2014, president Jonathan ‘sacked,’ accepted the resignation of teh Aviation minister.
UPDATE 3; EFCC Quizzes Stella on April 2nd, 2014
It was gathered that one Mr. Chike of ‘Team 3’ of the Intelligence and Special Operations Section led the team of investigators that grilled Oduah.
Our source said, “The former minister, Ms. Oduah, was today(Wednesday) quizzed for more than five hours by operatives of the EFCC.
“The ex-minister arrived at the Commission at about 10am today, Wednesday, April 2 and left at 3.30pm.
