Lagos-based lawyer and former President of the West African Bar Association (WABA), Femi Falana has joined Nigerians calling for the probe of Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah over allegations of forcing the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to buy her two bulletproof BMW cars at the cost of N255m.
Falana, who petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, further threatened to sue the EFCC should the anti-graft agency decline to probe the minister.
In the petition to Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde titled Request for Investigation of Economic Crimes of Fraud and Extortion of the Sum of N255 Million by Aviation Minister, Ms Stella Oduah and signed on his behalf by Samuel Ogala, Falana said he would take every necessary legal step to force the EFCC to do its job.
“In the light of the foregoing, we request you to investigate the economic crimes of fraud and extortion committed by Aviation Minister, Ms. Stella Oduah and her cohorts in the NCAA,” part of the letter read.
“Take notice that if you fail to accede to our request within the next seven days, we shall not hesitate to pray the Federal High Court to compel your Commission to discharge its statutory duty in respect of our complaint.”
Falana said he was uncomfortable with the explanation by Joe Obi, the spokesperson for the Aviation Ministry that the cars were bought for the protection of the minister.
He alleged that the minister overstepped her powers, since she did not have the right to compel the NCAA to make the purchase, since the ministry never reported the threat to her life to the Police, since the money was not budgeted for, and since the NCAA overshot its authorised budgetary expenditure.
Earlier in the day, the Anti-Corruption Network (ACN) had given the aviation minister 72 hours to refund the N255m used to purchase two cars and for the minister to resign her position, saying refusal to do this would make it head to court to compel the court to force her out.
Led by anti-corruption crusader, Dino Melaye, the group said if it were to be during Obasanjo or Yar’Adua’s administration, the minister would have been fired.
“We are waiting to see what the president will do, as well as the National Assembly,” Melaye said at a press conference in Abuja.
