…We were deceived, says company
The federal government Monday announced the indefinite suspension of Executive Jet Services, the flight company that conveyed Nigerian singer, Naira Marley, to perform at a concert in Abuja on Saturday despite the interstate travel ban and social distancing protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, who announced the suspension at the Daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on the Control of COVID-19 in Abuja, said the airline was suspended for giving false information to get approval to fly.
He said the airline used approval granted for an legal flight operation to convey Naira Marley to Abuja for an illegal concert.
He said the airline got approval to fly a judge to Abuja and not the singer.
“We considered judiciary as an essential service to be delivered. The approval was for June 14, 2020, however, we gave a leeway of 24 hours because due to operational reasons they may choose to fly earlier or later. The operator chose to fly on the 13th. The operator is ExecuJet Services,” he said.
The minister said the letter of approval for the airline to fly to Abuja was clear that the operation should be “strictly and diligently based on the protocol guiding the operation under COVID-19.”
“The operation is a clear violation of our approval to which we take very seriously. Execujet Services is hereby suspended indefinitely. We will also fine them maximumly according to the law.
“The captain of the flight would also be sanctioned for giving wrong information to the control tower and also appropriately in accordance with our law.
“We don’t take things lightly in civil aviation because it means the lives of people. We are highly regulated,” he said.
The minister said aviation authorities would escalate the mechanisms already put in place for flight approvals to deter people from contravening laid down rules.
“Going forward we willl escalate the mechanisms we have in place, and we will be stricter in our approvals and enforcement,” he said.
Responding to federal government’s decision on the matter, the Chairman/CEO of the company Mr Sam Iwuajoku said the judge on whose behalf the request was made told the company he was already in Abuja.
He said the company was deceived into flying Naira Marley, stressing that the singer used Fashola Babatunde, and the company thought it was the Minister of Works and Housing Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola traveling to Abuja with his entourage.
