The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Monday refuted media reports of the alleged purchase of a 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser (70th Anniversary Edition) worth over N250 million.
To this end, the aviation agency threatened to sue the publisher of the online medium if the story is not taken down.
Recall that over the weekend, an online medium reported that a few months after the appointment of acting Director General of NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo was enmeshed in alleged financial recklessness, violations of government procurement regulations, and gross abuse of office.
Reacting to the report, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu
explained that all its directors have not been given any official vehicle since resumption of office.
He said: “The medium reports that the top aviation regulator had proposed to spend N3,000,000,000 on purchase of vehicles; N4,317,070,233 on “international transport”; N3,310,009,756 on “local transport and travels for training” and; N8,342,547,767 on “travels and transport
“But soon after his appointment as acting DG on December 13, 2023, Mr Najomo went on a spending spree, purchasing a 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser (70th Anniversary Edition) worth over N250m, which was not even captured in the budget.”
Achimugu stressed that there was nowhere around the world where the NCAA has paid for any vehicle since the resumption of Najomo as head of the agency.
He hinted that on the approval and payment for training, he said, “trainings have been approved and payments made and the staff involved will go for the training when the time comes. The only reason for the delay is because of the ban on foreign trips by the president. Once the ban is lifted, they will go for their training.”