The outgoing Interim Administrator of the Amnesty Office, Major General Barry Ndiomu (retd.), has granted a N2.9 billion contract to Alom Aviation Limited, just two weeks before the conclusion of his tenure. Ndiomu, who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in September 2022 to oversee the winding down of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, was expected to vacate his position shortly.
This decision has raised concerns as it appears to violate the Procurement Act 2019, as amended, which mandates a 30 percent mobilization fee for contracts. Sources suggest that certain officials within the Amnesty Office may have promoted the interests of Alom Aviation Limited. It remains unclear whether the agency conducted an open competitive bidding process for this contract, as required by the Procurement Act.
Moreover, questions have arisen regarding Ndiomu’s authority to award such a substantial contract. Speculations suggest that he may have deviated from proper procurement procedures, possibly due to uncertainty surrounding the duration of his tenure.
In response to multiple petitions against Ndiomu, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who supervises the Amnesty Office, is reportedly investigating the matter. There are indications that Ndiomu’s tenure may not be extended, given the serious allegations of impropriety raised by stakeholders.
Some employees within the Amnesty Office have expressed concern over the full payment of N2.9 billion to Alom Aviation Limited, describing it as unusual and questionable. They note that it is uncommon for an entity to make a 100 percent payment for a contract that has not yet commenced, let alone been completed.
Furthermore, it has come to light that employees in the accounts department were pressured into taking non-disclosure oaths and faced threats of dismissal if they revealed the illegal payment to the public.
Meanwhile, approximately 60 out of the 139 beneficiaries of the training program, consisting of maintenance engineers, were told that their training would take place in Lagos at Leads Stream Aviation, owned by Mr. Roland. However, investigations suggest that the Lagos training center is not yet prepared.
The Amnesty Office informed the beneficiaries that the delay in their deployment was due to petitions filed against Ndiomu. Additionally, an unnamed employee of Alom Aviation Limited in Lagos disclosed that the company had received a full 100 percent payment for the contract, and “kickbacks” had allegedly been provided to certain Amnesty Office officials as agreed prior to the contract’s award.
