Director General of NCAA, Dr. Fola Akinkuotu, has distanced himself from the exorbitant cost of the bullet proof BMW’s bought for the minister, whilst also stating that the cars were custom made, thus leading to their exorbitant prices.
Research from Civil Society Organizations had shown that similar security BMW cars cost $200,000 each in the USA and Europe, a fraction of the $800,000 spent by the NCAA.
On the high cost of the cars, Akinkuotu said: “There are three factors that might decide. I am not speaking on behalf of the persons who put up the paper or the persons who cost it or the persons who sold it. But first of all, each car you buy has a custom features aspect to it. “Were they budgeted for? Yes. I don’t know the cost of the President’s car and I can’t relate it to this.”
The DG said the NCAA was investigating the source of the leaked documents and determined to apprehend the whistleblower.
“I don’t know the source of the leak (sic). I issued a circular to all the staff, GM, Directors and Legal, and I will just read just a little bit.
“Without prejudice to the nature and content of the document and the purpose of their existence, leakage and ultimate publication is a matter of great concern to the authority. “By the nature of our work and statutory provision, certain level of documents, processes and integrity are required for our successful day to day operation. For instance, the Civil Aviation Act made specific provisions with respect to our obligations for our confidentiality and restricted access to certain information that we procure in the conduct of our statutory functions. “I am not saying this particular information cannot be put in public premises, but how it is obtained. If somebody breaks into somebody’s office, made copies of official documents, is the breaking act not criminal? “So, we are in the process of trying to find the source of this leak and I am very concerned about it because this information may look trivial but there are other information we have that are confidential.”