FG Set to Probe Another Nigerian Airline for Alleged Aircraft Smuggling
- The Nigerian government has disclosed that relevant agencies would probe the allegations of aircraft smuggling to Iran by Azman Air
- The spokesman for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mike Achimugu, said the allegations against the airline were heavy
- He said that Nigerian Customs usually handles smuggling issues and that the authority cannot act until the allegations are confirmed
Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.
The Nigerian government has said relevant agencies will commence an investigation into the allegation that a Nigerian airline, Azman Air, aided the Iranian Aviation Industries to evade sanctions by the US.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) noted that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) handles smuggling issues.
Source: Getty Images
NCAA says Nigeria Customs handles smuggling issues
NCAA spokesman Mike Achimugu disclosed that smuggling is under the radar of Customs and not the authority, noting that once the allegations are confirmed, the NCAA can speak about them.
He said the allegations against Azman Air are heavy, and the issue has been sent to relevant agencies for further investigation.
Azman Air allegedly smuggled aircraft to Iran
According to a Vanguard report, the Middle East Forum Observer disclosed that Iran’s biggest airline, Mahan Air, used Azman Air to deliver an Airbus A340-642 widebody passenger aircraft to the Iranian airline on November 15, 2024.
The report said that while the aircraft flew from Kano to Kabul, its crew allegedly turned off the Automatic Dependent Surveilance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transponder at 39,000 feet altitude after entering the Iranian airspace before landing at Tehran’s Mehrabd International Airport.
FCCPC moves to probe Air Peace
The development comes as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) insisted on probing Nigeria’s largest carrier, Air Peace, over alleged fare hikes.
The FCCPC listed Air Peace alongside a telecommunications company and a commercial bank for the probe.
In response to the FCCPC allegations, Air Peace said it spent about N14 million on a one-hour fight, saying that FCCPC’s allegations were untrue.
Airlines roll out new fares ahead of Yuletide
Legit.ng reported earlier that Nigerian airlines had announced new airfares for the Christmas and New Year season.
Some traditionally busy routes have seen their fares jump, with some airlines pricing tickets at N314,000 an hour's flight.
However, Aero Contractors crashed its economy class ticket to N80,000 for a one-hour flight to all destinations.
Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng
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