NewStats: 3,259,384 , 8,169,962 topics. Date: Saturday, 24 May 2025 at 08:13 PM 6x3f6h

EXCLUSIVE: Buhari terminates $195 million ‘Israeli’ security contract promoted by Amaechi

President Muhammadu Buhari, earlier this week, terminated a new defence procurement contract initiated by the of his cabinet over allegations of fraud.


The contract, signed off by the Federal Executive Council in December 2017, would have seen the contractor, HSLi, net $195 million in exchange for an undisclosed number of special mission aircraft, special mission helicopters and 12 fast intervention vessels for the Nigerian Navy.

The Guardian later reported that the contract would see Nigeria acquire three helicopters, three aircraft, three big battle-ready ships, 12 vessels and 20 amphibious cars to secure Nigerian waters.

Friendly offer?

The deal was midwived by Nigeria’s transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi. Critics described the deal as a classic defence contract designed to steal, with the transport minister playing the role of “The Government Guy”.


In the memo dispatched by the Chief of Staff to the president, Abba Kyari, directing the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to terminate the contract, the president also ordered the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Intelligence Agency to investigate how the contractor obtained security clearance for the job without an end- certificate.

The president also ordered that the contractor should be made to supply items equivalent to the $50 million upfront payment which they received recently.

The contractor, HSLi, ed around as an “Israeli company” by the transport minister is not a ed business entity in Israel, a TIMES’ investigation revealed. They, however, hold close ties with Mitrelli, another Israeli Company which also holds close ties with the minister.


In 2012, while Mr. Amaechi was the governor of oil-rich Rivers state, he awarded a $140 million contract to Mitrelli (aka LR Group) to develop a farm in Etche, a suburb of Port Harcourt, the state capital. LR Group recently rebranded as Mitrelli as it transitioned into an arms business.

But shortly after the contract was awarded, critics began raising questions about the istration’s hiring of foreign firms to secure Nigerian waters, saying it could undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty and national security.

The House of Representatives also launched an investigation into the contract following a petition from civic groups who complained that the contract was fraught with sharp practices.


House of Reps

In March, the House Committee on Public Petitions, which probed the contract, said its findings revealed that the contract would violate appropriation laws because it was not in the budget and recommended outright termination.

The lawmakers said HLSi Security was not a ed company in Israel and Mr. Amaechi failed to supply them with documents even after they had conducted eight hearings on the matter.

At the time the committee’s investigation was ongoing, Mr Amaechi said some corrupt persons were working overtime to frustrate the contract because they were benefiting immensely from the status quo.

“I won’t say who they are until it gets out of control,” Mr Amaechi said at an event in Warri in February. “We are still battling for the contract to take place, but if it gets out of hand, we will name them, including the security people.”

“These are people who make billions of dollars from the waters so they don’t want security on the waters, because if we secure the waters, all this rubbish will go,” the minister added.

He called on ship owners and other maritime operators to “behave like an activist” and petition the president to ensure that the contract remained in place as signed.

It was not immediately clear whether Mr Amaechi was referring to lawmakers at the time.

Executive probe

The recent termination memo lends credence to the lawmakers’ earlier assertions.

While the executive probe is underway, the Navy was directed to list its maritime security requirements for funding by NIMASA.

Given the efforts Mr Amaechi put into the contract, its termination could be seen as a major blow for the minister, a military source said.

“The minister carried us along in the contract,” a senior naval officer told TIMES under anonymity Friday night. “He was able to get the president to sign the contract, but it seemed the president felt deceived after learning that so many things were wrong with it.”

Presidential spokespersons Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu did not return text messages and phone calls for comments about whether the president carried the minister along in the termination.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport, Yewande Shonaike, did not respond to requests for comments about how the ministry saw the development.

Mr Amaechi had long been considered one of Mr Buhari’s biggest loyalists in his cabinet, and he is largely seen as crucial to the president’s re-election efforts.

Late last year, Mr Buhari retained Mr Amaechi as the director-general of his 2019 campaign.

https://www.timesng.com/news/headlines/269858-exclusive-buhari-terminates-195-million-israeli-security-contract-promoted-by-amaechi.html

No source? Rubbish post is Amaechi the Minister for Defense or Security Adviser or among the Service Chiefs?

Given the efforts Mr Amaechi put into the contract, its termination could be seen as a major blow for the minister, a military source said.

“He was able to get the president to sign the contract, but it seemed the president felt deceived after learning that so many things were wrong with it.” Presidential spokespersons

Why is Amaechi g defence contract The amount of corruption going on in this government is just monumental.Guess the president/presidency will not tell Nigerians that "Buhari was not aware" of due process before he signed the fraudulent contract of this nature?

Paperwhite:
Why is Amaechi g defence contract

Fake news

Hahahahahaha

Paperwhite:
Why is Amaechi g defence contract

The posed it as water way security initiative of the Ministry of transport and was able to get the presidents nod without carrying the office of the NSA along hence the missing end certificate from the NSAs office which is a requirement before any contractor can carry out any security like import or installation on that scale

SalamRushdie:


The posed it as water way security initiative of the Ministry of transport and was able to get the presidents nod without carrying the office of the NSA along hence the missing end certificate from the NSAs office which is a requirement before any contractor can carry out any security like import or installation on that scale

Chai!

Wike trying in vain to smear Amaechi name.

Imagine this useless report.

Both Amaechi, Buhari and the zombie above me, are mad.

CilicMarin:
Wike trying in vain to smear Amaechi name.

Imagine this useless report.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.timesng.com/news/headlines/269858-exclusive-buhari-terminates-195-million-israeli-security-contract-promoted-by-amaechi.html&ved=0ahUKEwjl9o2m9KPbAhUDKMAKHfqoAM0QxfQBCB0wAA&usg=AOvVaw1zTRT6fNydFVZ6H-CtC3EZ
Wike? You own no be am @ all.Guess you see the Mr.integrity you're following up & down?

Nigeria should behold the fraudsters they ever entrust their lives to.I'm not ive of any shit person but let the antigraft/corruption war be holistic in perspective.

Buhari/Presidency,Ministry of defense, DSS, EFCC, SARS over to you guys.Guess Magu will not develop mental disorder now?

Article filled with hiccups and stuttering. Even the OP couldnt even determine where the propaganda ended..
Despite the long epistle, there is no documentary evidence to lend credence to the potpourri. Well the intended audience are already lapping up the shi*t.

Amaechi,Fashola,Kyari,Dambazzau,Buratai,Lai etc including Buhari himself are all steeped in corruption. I have said it severally,when Buhari leaves government and is probed,his government would turn out to be the most fraudulent in Nigeria's history,so much so that his zombie a rse lickers would be so convulsed with shame at the revelations.

Paperwhite:
President Muhammadu Buhari, earlier this week, terminated a new defence procurement contract initiated by the of his cabinet over allegations of fraud...

Biko, post this as its own thread. Don't know why people can't take the extra few minutes to edit an OP properly.

But why now? Why would they wait until now to cancel the contract. If all the Presidency wanted was their share, they'd have let it go ahead and discuss with Ameachi, after all they reached a similar multi-billion naira deal with the principal of the senate.

Maybe the rumors that the Presidency is falling out with Amaechi has some substance to it. Not sure about the reason. Amaechi is a powerful enemy to have, not because of his electoral value (that's gone now, not that he ever had that per se), but because of the war chest he's acquired as a super Minister with an outrageous budget.

Or maybe they think they don't need contributed cash anymore because of obvious reasons.

-Lord

In spite of the fact that Amaechi is Buhari's campaign DG. This is still another testament that Buhari is better than the cankerworm era of PDP. But then, how's Buhari really going to fund his campaign? Will he allow governors loot their state's fund to donate for his campaign expenses or look the other way for FG moneys to be used, like Dasuki did ?

seguno2:


So sorry to see that you are easily deceived by the propaganda. So sorry.

Be sorry for yourself. I know when to critique and when to give a thumbs-up . That's one difference between me and you, I guess.

with d way Tinz re goin. nah blow dem go dey throw for national Assembly

Una well done oooo, fraudulent APC.

No smoke without Fire!

hmm...


while there are clearly procedural errors involved in the contract, the fact remains that 60% of security contracts are underhand dealings mainly because NO NATION exposes all its security assets & how it intends to acquire them.


that is why there are often 'black budgets' hidden away in ministerial allocations unrelated to security sectors.


for every $460m that goes to buy 12 tucano jets, you can be rest assured that there is a $200m being used to source other weapons.


it is this reality that pmb & his band of charlatans refused to acknowledge with the security funds spent by the previous istration.


not every security expense will be publicised & while it gives room for fraud, that's just the reality of security votes & business & NATIONAL SECURITY...


but because pmb chose to ridicule the previous security expenses & use it as a tool for mockery & sowing vile hatred, he will also be made to suffer the same consequence.


unfortunately however, it is the security of Nigeria that will suffer & it is the masses that will bear the brunt of it...

SamuelAnyawu:
No source? Rubbish post is Amaechi the Minister for Defense or Security Adviser or among the Service Chiefs?

source has been provided Sir, in a sane society, Amaechi and all those involved in this deal would have handed in their resignation letters or been sacked. It's even an indictment on the president for g off on something so sensitive without asking relevant questions. Heads have to roll honestly but we know nothing will happen

Because I know better so I just came to read comments

SamuelAnyawu:
No source? Rubbish post is Amaechi the Minister for Defense or Security Adviser or among the Service Chiefs?

Samuel nwa Anyawu, what's the point of your defence?

The source is provided na.

Hear me, Amaechi has very little time before being completely rubbished by Buhari's men. Now they are seeing him in full colour, 3D if you like.

Amaechi betrayed his own people to side with a jihadist. He will pay dearly, Mark my word

RZArecta2:
....In a sane society, Amaechi and all those involved in this deal would have handed in their resignation letters or been sacked. It's even an indictment on the president for g off on something so sensitive without asking relevant questions. Heads have to roll honestly but we know nothing will happen

Meanwhile "He was able to get the president to sign the contract, but it seemed the president felt deceived after learning that so many things were wrong with it.”

:Presidential spokespersons Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu did not return text messages and phone calls for comments about whether the president carried the minister along in the termination.

As you can see above the conspiracy to cover this scandal have already started.

Good

Bubu 4 life

who cares?

Anything to give this govt a lift!!
Defence contract by minister of transport. Very soon minister of health will soon start promoting airport runaway contract.
Then what happens to the Amaechi himself. Assuming truly that they ar buying Navy warships.

Hahaha

Things fall apart and center cannot hold

Lol

All my predictions coming to APC will be so beaten at the presidential polls next year

God bless PMB