By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Akwa-Ibom State Police Command has lamented the underhand dealings involving some of the fire service officials of the state.
This is as the Command revealed that it has lost a total revenue of N613, 200, 000 million in three years to the illegal leasing of its fire service trucks allegedly taken illegally from the State Fire Service fleet.
This was disclosed by the State’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, during his maiden press briefing in Uyo, the State capital on Tuesday.
He said the command arrested four officials of the state fire service who allegedly stole fire trucks. According to Azare, the inappropriately leased trucks were recovered in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where they were leased out for three years to multinational companies at the rate of N140,000 per truck.
The CP added that the fire service officials shared N60, 000 per day from leasing one truck.
A breakdown of the amount showed, according to reports show that the State Government would have earned ₦560,000 per day and ₦3,920,000 per week if the leased trucks were not stolen.
According to reports, the leased daily rate per truck is ₦140,000, totaling ₦560,000 per day for the four trucks and ₦3,920,000 per week.
On a monthly basis of 30 days, the leased trucks would have earned ₦16,800,000 a month, which would in 365 days accure to ₦204,400,000 a year.
For the three years lease span, the state government would have earned ₦613,200,000 in revenue.
Speaking about the stolen trucks, the CP said, “Based on credible information from a good Samaritan that 4 of the state fire service trucks were stolen and taken to Port Harcourt, River State by some officials of the service.
“The Command moved to recover the said trucks and further investigation revealed that the fire trucks were leased out to some multinational companies at the rate of N140,000 per truck per day for initial period of 3 yrs.
“The link company share was N80, 000 while the fire service officials share stood at N60, 000 per truck per day, the deal was done in 2021 and was expected to terminate by 2024.
“However, about two months to the expiration of the deal the command acted and recovered the vehicles”.
The CP mentioned that the four suspects would be charged to court, while the trucks will be released to the State Government.
