The Federal Government on Monday suspended a charter and aircraft maintenance firm, Executive Jet Services, for flying Musician, Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley, to Abuja for a concert.
The minister for aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this known during the daily COVID19 briefing in Abuja on Monday.
He said that the flight was approved for a different purpose, to fly an Appeal Court Judge, Justice Adefope Okogie, from Lagos to Abuja.
Sirika said that the flight was initially approved to convey a serving Justice from Lagos to Abuja adding that the company has been suspended indefinitely for providing false information to convey the singer to Abuja for the show.
He said, “The operation is a clear violation of our approval which we take very seriously. It seems this is becoming a norm. This is the second time. So, Executive Jet Services is hereby suspended indefinitely and they will face the law.
“The captain will also be sanctioned for giving wrong information to the control tower. It seems also that people are not tired of trying our resolve and we are not tired of living up to our responsibilities. Governance is a serious matter.”
Recall that the development was triggered by the Naira Marley’s ‘Drive-in’ concert which was held on Saturday night at Jabi Lake Mall.
The event attracted criticism from Nigerians as the attendees were clustered in a viral video while Naira Marley performed despite an increase in coronavirus cases.
The minister said the government would henceforth be stricter in granting approvals for private flights.
He said, “The person on that flight conducted a concert. We approved a flight, certainly not for a musician. The flight was approved to convey Honourable Justice Adefope Okogie from Lagos to Abuja and then back to Lagos for an official assignment.
“In this challenging time, in our wisdom, we decided that the judiciary was part of the essential services. Moving a judge from Lagos to Abuja was in order.”
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