Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has disclosed that the federal government on Sunday impounded an aircraft owned by a certain foreign airline for illegally operating commercial flight into Nigeria without approval. To curb the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country, the government of Nigeria just like its counterparts all over the world had stopped all flights coming in or out of the country. The only airline that are allowed are those that are involved with humanitarian services after obtaining due approvals. Sirika made the disclosure through his Twitter handle, @hadisirika.
He said the company, which has been identified as Flair Aviation, was authorised to conduct humanitarian flights but was caught operating commercial flights into Nigeria, which is against the law. He said it was for that reason that the aircraft was impounded, adding that “maximum penalty” would be imposed on the company for the contravention of federal government ban on commercial flights into Nigeria.
According to the minister, “COVID-19. Flair Aviation, was given approval for humanitarian operations but regrettably, we caught them conducting commercial flights. This is callous! The craft is impounded, the crew being interrogated. There shall be maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve,” the minister tweeted.
