The Coalition Against Malpractices and Corruption (COMAC) has urged the Federal Government to initiate a full-scale investigation into procurement activities within the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, alleging widespread irregularities and questionable contract awards.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the coalition called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant agencies to probe what it described as “fraudulent practices” in the ministry’s contracting process, where multimillion-naira projects were allegedly awarded to untraceable or unqualified companies.
COMAC, which comprises the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEHUR), the Association of Media Practitioners in Oil and Gas Producing Areas (AMEPROGAS), and the Arewa Youth Alliance for Progress and Development, said it had written to the ministry under the Freedom of Information Act of 2011, requesting procurement records, bid documents, payment vouchers, tax certificates, and company verification documents. However, it said the ministry failed to respond.
The convener of the coalition, Comrade Odey Otunu, told reporters that the group’s investigation revealed “gross violations” of the Public Procurement Act of 2007. He alleged that senior officials of the ministry approved and paid for contracts amounting to about N30 billion to shell companies, tax-defaulters, and firms with no verifiable record of execution or capacity.
According to Otunu, “our findings show that several multi-billion naira contracts were awarded to companies that either do not exist, have no operational history, or were newly incorporated just months before securing massive government deals. This is a clear abuse of public trust.”
Reacting to the allegations, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, denied any wrongdoing. He stated that since assuming office, no new contracts had been awarded under his watch. Kana also dismissed claims linking him to a company alleged to have benefited from ministry contracts, explaining that the firm, Kana Investment Limited, was inactive and originally owned by his late father.
The coalition, however, maintained that its findings revealed several cases of contract awards to non-existent or newly registered companies. It cited an example of Elhesed Global Concepts Limited, registered in December 2022, which allegedly secured multiple high-value contracts within a year of its incorporation.
COMAC insisted that the matter demanded urgent investigation to safeguard public funds and restore transparency and accountability in the aviation sector.
