It has been alleged that the newly launched Nigeria airplane was a chartered plane from Ethiopian Airlines and has sparked outrage among Nigerians.
Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, hinted that the controversial national carrier, Nigeria Air, would commence operation before the swearing-in of a new administration on 29 May.
Hadi Sirika insisted in March, April and early May, 2023 that the airline will commence operations before May 29 and “nothing would stop it”.
But before I go deep into the story, for those who aren’t familiar with this story the benefits Nigeria stands to derive from the establishment of the national carrier acclaimed by the minister include, reduced capital flight from Nigeria, maximisation of the benefit of Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) and Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and development of an aviation hub.
He also said the National carrier will contribute to the country’s GDP, facilitate hospitality and tourism, facilitate growth and development of the Nigerian agricultural sector, and create jobs around the Agro-Cargo Terminals.
On Wednesday, May 24, when he insisted that despite the subsisting court order, an aircraft belonging to Nigeria Air will arrive the country on May 26, three days before the life of the Buhari administration came to a terminal end.
And indeed, an airplane in Nigeria colour, green and white, with inscription Nigeria air was unveiled at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on may 26 to commence operation.
The aircraft allegedly returned to Ethiopia after it so-called launch in Nigeria, exposing the deceitful nature of the operation.
Many questions have been raised concerning this project. Is Nigeria Air real or a scam? Industry experts insist it is a scam and they have questioned why such project was hastily done?
During a fund raising dinner in Abuja on Thursday, December 15, 2022 for the then APC governorship candidate in Katsina State, Dikko Radda, Hadi Sirika boasted that the party had more than enough money to influence the outcome of the 2023 elections. And even went as far as swearing with name of God. Repeatedly.
I trust my naija people very quick at calculating, some people have linked this statement with the alleged fraud, that he was talking about the airline money.
In light of these developments, investigative efforts have been launched to delve deeper into the Nigeria Air scandal.
Actually, When the minister first announced the development, some Nigerians criticised the Muhammadu Buhari administration for seeking to start a new national carrier after the former national carrier, Nigeria Airways, collapsed largely due to corruption.
The government, having not more than two months left in office, however, said the new carrier would only be partly government-owned and would be managed by a private partner.
However, some local airlines in Nigeria sued the federal government, asking the court to stop the new national carrier as it would get unfair advantages over other airlines in the country.
And in November, a Federal High Court in Lagos issued an order of interim injunction restraining the Nigerian government from proceeding with the establishment of the national carrier.
In February, Mr Sirika said he was not aware of any court injunction barring the commencement of Nigeria Air and that it would surely commence operations.
My country’s people will not seize to be dramatic.
Sirika and Buhari have however been dragged to explain why they defied a court order and brushed aside regulations to “unveil” a premature national carrier. Despite the huge amount spent, the airline not only failed to secure the AOC, but has also not secured a single aircraft.
The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation has described Nigeria Air as a fraud and charged the Federal Government to suspend its establishment.
The committee reached this resolution on Tuesday following an investigative hearing on the airline and decried the fact that Hadi Sirika went ahead to flag off the operations of Nigeria Air despite a standing Court order, and without any provisions for sustaining the operations of the airline, lamented that “the process indicates the exercise to be highly opaque, shrouded in secrecy, shoddy and capable of ridiculing and tarnishing the image of Nigeria before the international community.”
the House of Representatives further urged President Bola Tinubu to “urgently constitute a high-level presidential committee to undertake a holistic review of the processes of the whole Nigeria Air project and … ensure that all individuals, or groups, or organisation involved in the controversial shenanigan named ‘Nigeria Air Take-Off’ are brought to book, prosecuted and sanctioned.”
Still on this story, Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Digital Communications, Bashir Ahmad has insisted that the Nigeria Air is not a fraud.
Ahmad said the Aviation Ministry has signed most of the necessary documents regarding Nigeria Air and noted that most of the operational certificates and offices have been issued and opened while putting in record that, the Committee and indeed the National Assembly had no role in the purported launch of Nigeria Air or anything related thereof.
