‘How Israelis swindled Nigeria in N29.2bn defence contracts’

In what is believed to be one of the greatest rip-offs of the country, Nigeria is said to have entered into negotiation with an Israeli security company for the leasing of two spy satellite viewing machines at a whooping cost of N29.2 billion (145 million Euros).

This was just as the concession of the Nigerian Navy Dock Yard, being one of the most strategic security assets in the country, was granted to another high-profile Israeli businessman (names withheld), but which is now believed to be at the verge of being sold, thereby jeopardising the nation’s interest.

It was gathered that the spy satellite machines, with a 2,000-kilometre radius, are, however, believed to have been over-priced by the Israeli company in active collaboration with some Nigerian officials.

A close security source, said checks through image-Sat indicated that the two spy satellite machines have a market value of only $40 million as against the 145 million Euros.

It was equally gathered that three Unmanned Ariel Vehicles (UAV) were purchased for 240 million Euros against the original price of $7 million. Worse still, since the three UAVs were brought into the country, they have refused to function.

These were some of the details contained in a petition to President Goodluck Jonathan by Alhaji Rabiu Hassan of HYPERTECH Resources that is into defence and security services.

Hassan is accusing the two Israeli businessmen, in collaboration with the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety and Security (PICOMSS) of swindling Nigeria of millions of dollars against international best practices.

Commenting on the purchase and supply of the expected military K-38 boats, Hassan said that the chairman of the PICOMMS lied to the former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Owoye Azazi, on the actual cost of purchase by his company (HYPERTECH Resources, adding that the PICOMMSS attempted to even by-passed the office of the NSA to get him to supply the items, but he resisted the temptation.

He said that he refused the offer from PICOMMSS owing to his clear understanding that only the NSA has the power to sign an ‘End User Certificate’ for any security equipment coming into the country, adding that the boats were auctioned to him at $250 thousand each, but PICOMMSS wanted the amount inflated to $2.5 million each, a development he frowned against.

Source: Blueprint