• Air force, Police aircraft used to ferry un-exempted persons

The restriction on flights imposed by the Federal Government in the wake of the global Coronavirus pandemic to curtail its spread in the country is being observed in the breach, Daily Trust Saturday investigation reveals.

Despite the restriction, first imposed on March 21, some commercial and private airlines have continued to ferry un-exempted passengers, mostly VIPS, within and outside the country in clear violation of the Quarantine Act signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.


The president’s daughters, his chief of staff, other aides and many state governors were among those found to have violated the inter-state travel restrictions.

Investigations also show that airlines that obtain the necessary permits to convey VIPs take undue advantage to ferry family members, associates and other passengers not included in the exemption category.

Our reporters who spent some time in the past few days at the Murtala Mohammed and Nnamdi Azikiwe airports in Lagos and Abuja found that aircraft belonging to security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Air force and the Police were being used to convey un-exempted passengers.

Multiple sources told our reporters that the security agencies use their privileges to convey family members, associates and friends of top security personnel while ordinary Nigerians are being arrested and charged across the country for violating interstate travel restrictions.

The presidency has also denied that the first family have violated the travel restriction, while, the federal ministry of Aviation, Nigerian Air Force and the Police have not responded to our requests for comment.

Buhari’s daughters, govs among violators Daily Trust Saturday checks show that asides other private and commercial airlines, state governors have also been embarking on air travels in clear violation of interstate travel which they agreed on as a measure to mitigate community transmission of COVID-19.

The governors, under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) had on Wednesday, April 22, “unanimously” agreed to the implementation of an interstate lockdown in the country to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 from state to state, giving permission to only essential services.

However, some of the governors have been violating the travel restrictions with several trips to Abuja and Lagos undertaken by flight. On Monday, June 1, Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo State flew into Abuja to visit President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to formally inform him of his intention to seek re-election for a second term.

The same day, the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, led six of his colleagues to meet with the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC on what was believed to be a last-minute effort to save Obaseki’s candidacy ahead of the APC primary election in Edo.

Many aviation stakeholders and the general public have raised eyebrows over the violation of the ban by some VIPs who were not on essential flights.

For instance not a few tongues wagged recently following the controversy generated when the Special Assistant to the President, Sabiu Tunde Yusuf, was asked by the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, to respect the COVID-19 guidelines, following his alleged refusal to go on self-isolation after returning from an air trip to Lagos.

“So far, what we have seen is the violation of this restriction by some VIPs. The other day, the governors flew into Lagos State and back to Abuja, there was also the case of the President’s aide which caused rumbles recently in the villa,” said a Lagos-based operator who wouldn’t want to be named.

Another source at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, alleged that some aircraft registered as private non-commercial jets were being used for commercial services. “There was never a day you would not see one private jet or the other taking off and landing at this airport despite the restriction.

You then wonder if all were special or exempted flights,” the source said. It was also revealed that the President’s daughters, Zahra and Halima, had also travelled out of the villa by flight to visit their in-laws when Halima’s husband’s uncle died recently.

Similar trips were said to have been undertaken by President Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, who went to Lagos. There was also public outrage recently when a private airline operator, Executive Jets Services Ltd, conveyed a popular musician Naira Marley and ex-BBNaija housemate, Kim Oprah, to Abuja for a concert at the Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja last weekend.

Although the flight was said to have been approved to convey a serving judge from Lagos to Abuja and back, on official assignment, the flight operator violated the approval by conveying the musician.

The Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika later announced that Executive Jets Services Ltd, the flight company that conveyed musician Naira Marley and ex-BBNaija housemate, Kim Oprah, to Abuja for a concert has been suspended indefinitely.

When contacted, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said he was not aware that some members of the First Family have undertaken inter-State journeys. “But what I want you to understand is that while all forms of air travel are not allowed-international, interstate and intrastate and remain suspended, such flights are cleared to operate by the Ministry of aviation for all services adjudged as essential.

“So if members of the First Family fly, do you know the essential nature of such trips? Can you, where you are sitting, determine what is essential for the First Family or the Chief of Staff?” “The Ministry determines what is essential service before they give authorization. Members of the first family can be on essential service.

“Judges are being moved around as are doctors. As I write, the Country Representative of the Wold Health Organization, WHO and the Director General of the National Center for Disease Control, NCDC are in Delta State and will be returning to Abuja, Shehu said.

Air Force, Police Aircraft ferry un-exempted passengers

Investigations by Daily Trust Saturday further revealed that aircraft belonging to security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Air force and the Police were being used to convey un-exempted passengers.

Multiple sources informed Daily Trust Saturday that although the necessary permits were obtained for the security aircraft, they were used to convey un-exempted persons, mostly family members, associates and friends of top security personnel.

A source who was ferried in an Air Force aircraft from Lagos to Abuja in March revealed how ‘connections’ are used to violate the travel restriction order. “On that day, we arrived Abuja from Lagos on a C-130 aircraft mostly used for cargo.

We were about 60-70 persons on the flight. Our temperatures were checked and our hands sanitized, but we didn’t have face masks aboard the flight. The source, who wouldn’t want to be identified for security reasons, disclosed that the majority of the passengers were family members of Air force personnel who were going back to Abuja.

On how access was granted, the source said, “You have to have contact with someone high up there to get a pass. Your name has to be on the list to be given a pass to board the aircraft. “On three different occasions, I went there but was not able to board because there were many passengers.

If you can’t board, your name is put on the waiting list, and on our fourth try, I was able to board. “We landed at the Air force terminal in Abuja and exited through the back door.” The source also confirmed that apart from the C-130, smaller aircraft, like the size of a private jet, which takes about eight passengers were also transporting passengers.

A worker at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the Ministry of Aviation has been approving a lot of flights, adding that the Air Force has been doing a lot of flights.

According to the source, aircraft obtain permission to fly but the passengers are mostly the un-exempted category. “I don’t know if they are all operational flights or Air Force family members.

But everyone at the airport is surprised at the number of flights they perform. The intriguing part is that even when the airports were not closed, the Air Force didn’t operate this number of flights.

He, however, said for private jets, there were a lot of approvals, adding that some of the approvals were for VIPs, governors, some on humanitarian services, Ministers and some United Nations missions. “But the issue is that when an aircraft is approved for a certain individual, the person carries with him, several other unapproved passengers.

So, the issue is that when the minister approves the aircraft, why not also request for details of all of the passengers on the aircraft,” the source said. “Every day, people come to the private jet terminal seeking spaces on chartered aircraft to go to various destinations. Once an aircraft is flying empty and you are willing to pay, they will fly you.

Even last week when I worked, aviation agencies directors were looking for free spaces to fly to Lagos. Six different aircraft airlifted some directors of an agency. The private airline station managers fix these deals,” another source said.

Air travel restrictions

On March 21, the Federal Government announced the closure of its two main international airports in Lagos and Abuja for one month, following confirmation by the Federal Ministry of Health of additional cases of the dreaded virus in the country.

The restriction on commercial flights took effect on March 27 and was later extended by two weeks. On May 6, it was further extended by four weeks based on the assessment and advice from experts in the aviation industry to contain the spread of the virus.

On Thursday last week, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Musa Nuhu, said the June 21 date earlier fixed for the resumption of domestic flights was no longer feasible.

“The NCAA will not approve the start of operations until we’re sure and we confirm we’re ready to start in a safe, secure and organized manner. To do otherwise would be disastrous for all of us. “We’re going to go to operators to verify what they’ve given to us as their restart plan.

A lot of the service providers have provided very good documents, while some provided inadequate documents which were sent back to them,” Nuhu said.

While announcing the flight restrictions, the government had listed exemptions which include flights for humanitarian delivery, medical, technical and safety reason which must be approved by the Minister of Aviation.

The essential flights as listed by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) are Aircraft in State of emergency; Overflights; Operations related to humanitarian aid, medical and relief flights; Alternate aerodromes identified in the flight plan (including those being used for extended diversion time operations; Technical stop where passengers do not disembark; Cargo flights and other safety-related operations.

Unlucky operators

Although only emergency and essential flights were allowed to operate from any of the airports within the period of restriction, Daily Trust Saturday findings reveal that some commercial and private airlines have continued to ferry passengers, especially VIPs within and outside the country.

For instance, on May 23, an aircraft belonging to Flairjet, a United Kingdom-based aviation company violated the flight ban into the country. The airline was given the approval to operate humanitarian operations to Nigeria but indulged in commercial flights.

Flairjet was, however, impounded and made to pay a fine of N1million by the Federal Government. The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, who made this known reportedly said: “Flairjet was found guilty of violating our Civil Aviation Regulations IS 1.3.3 (a) Table 2 (iv) 7 (a)time and IS 1.3.3 Table 2 (viii ) (4). The maximum penalty for each is 500,000 naira. We caused them to pay and reported their callous misdemeanour to UK CAA, MFA, and the UK High Commission.”

Source: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-vips-are-violating-flight-restriction.html

Every law, every regulation, every curfew, every lockdown in nigeria have always been for the poor. Once you get money, you are above the law. That's naija for you.

All are equal but some are more equalla than others.
Remember Animal Farm

Lockdown no dey again if you know your way well

This is Nigeria, laws are made for average Nigerians not the leaders

A lawless county

The rules are meant only for the poor

While the rich get richer at the expenses of the poor

But when their punishment comes , you'll be sorry for thier lots

All celebrities, politicians and rich men and yahoo men will suffer a great punishment and all eyes will see

Shame on all of them......even tho dem no get shame

[img]https://media1./images/b9761b2a3fa6f830ddcafc4ee5629527/tenor.gif?itemid=4949558[/img]

Even common BRT, covid-19 rules aren't followed.... E con be aircraft??

Guy!

Everyone is tired of this virus..

So many of us don even catch the virus and our immune system done heal us without our knowledge....

Las las,. Wu hin time don reach na hin go die.

Nawa Oooo

We are also violating the interstate ban, so allow them violate the flight restrictions.

Nothing new or unusual.Nigeria is a lawlessness nation with irresponsible leaders.The law only applies to the common man.

Na to uninstall the current version of this country then redownload a new version with better anti-virus.

The rot is just too alarming but certainly correctable.

I remain positive.

Thunder fire buhari

The lockdown is for the poor.


I know alot of people that have been violating the restriction but I won't mention names.

Abeg summarize!

Shutting down air travel is just for inconvenience. People that want to travel are still traveling by road

The law in this country is not for the rich

Laws in Africa are made for the poor

Just like Religion, an opium of the Rich



Law is made for the Poor..

Why are you surprised? Nigeria is a lawless country.

idiot , u are saying the presidents daughter should follow useless laws?
na person tell your papa not to hustle?
u think it is easy to be a vip?
2 days ago i flew my fiancee from dubai to nigeria, no case.
do you know what we went through before we made the money.
thunder fire peasants
any peasant that quotes me to talk sht will remain a peasant till he dies and will loose his source of small small income
laws and rules are for the poor

FuckTheWorld:


Guy!

Everyone is tired of this virus..

So many of us don even catch the virus and our immune system done heal us without our knowledge....

Las las,. Wu hin time don reach na hin go die.

Funny picture

Our leaders are always first to break rules yet they punish common man

People are taking the spread of the virus for granted.. Hmm

Hmmm

The more you read posts like the one above, the more you should be inspired to want to be great, rich and famous. Thank God we see them often, that's enough Inspiration.

Nigeria as a country has failed everyone, its now time for everyone to not fail themselves.