The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has denied that Mr. Emmanuel Diala, a former engineer and Assistant Manager with the Nigeria Airways, who was sacked by the Federal Government on account of his indictment by an investigative committee, for defrauding the now defunct airline of N150 million.
The fraud was said to have been perpetrated between 1996 and 1997. The panel which, in 1998, investigated purchase contracts awarded by the moribund airline, indicted Mr. Diala and 29 others, with the bulk of the blame going to him. He was subsequently recommended for dismissal.
However, NAAPE, in a document exclusively obtained by Sahara Reporters, said that the whitepaper issued by another panel, which looked at the recommendations of the commission that indicted Mr. Diala, revoked his dismissal and commuted it to retirement with full benefits.
The seven-man commission, established by former president Olusegun Obasanjo in May 2002, was headed by Justice Obiora Nwazota, with Mrs. Catherine Okon as the Secretary. It had the mandate of looking into the activities of the defunct airline between 1983 and 1999.
A two-paragraph letter to Mr. Diala from the Federal Ministry of Aviation, obtained by SaharaReporters, expressly commuted his dismissal to retirement. The letter was dated 28 July, 2003, with the reference No. MCA 0008/S.6/C.1/VOL.1/151 and signed for the Minister of Aviation by one O.O. Awoniyi.
“…And that the period of your dismissal should be taken into consideration in calculating your terminal benefits.
“You are requested to report to the Managing Director, Nigeria Airways Limited with vital documents for processing your terminal benefits, please,” read the letter in part.
The government whitepaper on the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry for the Investigation of the Management of Nigeria Airways, dated January 2003, indicted two former managing directors of the airline, Alhaji Jani Ibrahim and Captain Muhammed Joji, of unilaterally defrauding the carrier.
The report recommended that Ibrahim should refund in full all losses incurred by Nigeria Airways in the wet lease of 3737 aircraft from Matifooz Aviation. He was specifically ordered to refund $ 1,548,500 and N15,200,000.00 to the coffers of the airline.
In addition, Ibrahim was directed to refund to the airline the sum of $616,052.26, being the excess payment he caused Nigeria Airways to make to Revillo UK.
Also, the commission recommended that Ibrahim should return to Nigeria Airways another $1.03 million.
The commission equally observed that during the fiscal year 1992, it noted a discrepancy of $2,458,064 in the expenduiture of $25.9millIon on insurance by Captain Mohammed Joji as Managing Director of Nigeria Airways.
The commission then recommended that Joji and the Director of Finance and Supply under him, Captain Afam Nwagboso, should be held responsible for $2,458,064, being the difference between the amount allegedly paid to NICON Insurance by Joji as premium of the insured and the amount actually paid.
BY SAHARA REPORTERS
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