Sirika

By Ngozi Onyeakusi– The Federal Government has impounded an aircraft owned by a British company for conducting commercial flights operation into Nigeria amid COVID-19 lockdown.

This was announced on Sunday by Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, via his official Twitter handle @hadisirika, saying that the company, Flair Aviation, was given the approval to conduct humanitarian flights but was caught operating commercial flights.

He also said the crew had been interrogated.

The minister who described the airline’s conduct as “callous” said maximum penalty will meted out to it.

“COVID-19. Flair Aviation, a UK company, was given approval for humanitarian operations but regrettably we caught them conducting commercial flights.

“This is callous! The craft is impounded, crew being interrogated. There shall be maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve!” he tweeted.

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The Federal Government has impounded an aircraft owned by a British company for conducting commercial flights operation into Nigeria amid COVID-19 lockdown.

This was announced on Sunday by Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, via his official Twitter handle @hadisirika, saying that the company, Flair Aviation, was given the approval to conduct humanitarian flights but was caught operating commercial flights.

Recall that the federal government extended flight ban on May 6 by the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha during the Presidential Task Force daily briefing on COVID-19.

Mustapha said the decision was based on the assessment and advice from experts of the aviation industry to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country

According to Sirika’s tweet, while the aircraft remains impounded, the crew is currently being interrogated. He also threatened that there will be a maximum penalty.

“COVID-19. Flair Aviation, a UK company, 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 a maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve!,” Sirika said.

The Federal Government had earlier had shut down the airspace following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

The flight ban was recently extended by another month.