The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Thursday declared that her office does not have any part in the controversial cars recently imported into the country for the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.

This declaration is totally contrary to the statement of the Chairman of Coscharis Motors Limited, Cosmas Maduka, which alleged to the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation probing the N225 million purchases that the Federal Ministry of Finance granted his company waiver for the importation.

According to the report, the Minister first issued through her twitter handle, purporting that the customs waiver she approved had no link to either the aviation ministry or bullet proof cars, but for the importation of 300 cars ordered by the Lagos State government for the National Sports Festival (“EKO 2012”).

 “On June 23, 2012, the Lagos State Government applied for Waiver of Destination Inspection Charges and Duty Exemptions for Coscharis Motors Nigeria Ltd, the official Automobile Partner for the National Sports Festival (“EKO 2012”), to purchase 300 vehicles on its behalf for the event,” the Special Advicer to the Minister on Media, Paul Nwabuikwu, said in a statement.

The clarification further state that since the Lagos State Government met the laid down criteria, the waiver was granted and that the waiver granted to the Lagos State Government for the event did not include the purchase of armoured vehicles.

It was also reported that the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Manasa Jatau had at the public hearing by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, accused Coscharis Motors of lying, by deceiving both the Ministry of Finance and National Security Adviser, NSA, into believing that the two armoured cars were among the ones acquired for Lagos state government for the National Sports festival.

Mr. Jatau, who alleged that the N10.1 million import duties due to Customs for the two cars were not paid, said Coscharis had used the same waiver for the Lagos State cars on the controversial BMW’s associated with NCAA.

The report however states that it appears NSA office had issued End User certificate without knowing that it was doing so for cars to be delivered to Stella Oduah or the NCAA.