The Nigerian Court of Appeal, a critical pillar in the nation’s judicial hierarchy, has become the subject of intense scrutiny following a highly controversial 2025 vehicle procurement process. An investigation into the tendering exercise reveals a series of irregularities, including evidence of bid-rigging, the involvement of shell companies, and the exclusion of legitimate, independent automotive dealers.
The procurement process, which took place between May and June 2025, was conducted through selective tendering, allowing the court to handpick specific firms for the contract. Records from the Federal Judiciary Tenders Board indicate that while fifteen technical bids were submitted, only eight companies were represented at the bid opening on May 20, 2025.
Evidence from the bid-opening register reveals a striking lack of competition. In one instance, a single individual, identified as Yahaya Hussaini, signed the register on behalf of three separate entities: HDM Global Limited, Hazdokas Limited, and May Eagle Motors. Similarly, another representative signed for two different companies, Kefiano Motors and EPI Mgt Ltd. Insiders suggest that many of these firms were orchestrated by the court’s own Procurement Department to manufacture the appearance of a competitive bidding process where none existed.
Notably, Kojo Motors, an established dealer that attended the bid opening, was systematically sidelined. Despite the Public Procurement Act of 2007 requiring procuring entities to formally notify bidders of their status, Kojo Motors reportedly received no communication regarding its disqualification. By May 23, 2025, the shortlist was narrowed to a closed circle of two companies per lot, effectively shutting out genuine market players.
The financial scope of the awards reached nearly N4.8 billion. Buscar Vehicles Limited secured the contract for Lot 1A—a Mercedes-Benz S580 and a Nissan Patrol—for N873 million. Hazdokas West Africa Limited was awarded Lot 1C, tasked with supplying twenty-five Toyota Land Cruiser Prados for approximately N3.89 billion. Curiously, the award letter specified the 2025 model of the vehicles, whereas the initial tender documents had cited the 2024 model year, a discrepancy that remains unexplained in the official documentation.
Internal pressure for payment appeared to defy logical timelines. Hazdokas West Africa Limited submitted a request for the full payment of N3.89 billion on June 27, 2025—the exact day the award was approved. This demand preceded the four-week delivery window stipulated in the contract, suggesting that the vehicles were supposedly delivered and cleared for payment before the contractual timeline had even commenced.
The oversight of this process was reportedly managed by a retired official operating in an acting capacity, a move that contradicts federal government directives prohibiting non-procurement cadres from overseeing such sensitive financial exercises. Furthermore, searches of corporate registries have raised additional alarms; several of the winning firms are listed as “inactive,” and in some cases, the companies appear to be linked to the same individuals, indicating a potential conflict of interest.
The procurement process was executed under the leadership of the Court of Appeal’s top management, who held their positions throughout the entire duration of the exercise. Despite the gravity of these findings, including allegations of forged delivery receipts in the names of unsuspecting court staff, the Court of Appeal and the Federal Judiciary Tenders Board have remained silent, failing to respond to formal requests for clarification.
Source: NaijaProbe