Domestic Airlines Take Nigerian Government to Court Over Nigeria Air Deal, Makes Demands

• Domestic airlines are threatening to stop the launch of Nigerian Air just four months before it launches
• They are not happy that the federal government chose to work with an Ethiopian airline and see it as a threat to their business
• The Minister of Aviation was also sued over his link to the transaction adviser for the transaction of a newly registered company

The launch of Nigeria Air may be halted after eight domestic airlines filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government, its foreign technical partners, and majority shareholders.

According to The Punch, the domestic airline requests that the Federal Government/Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority revoke the Air Transport Licence already granted to Nigeria Air.

Ethiopian Airlines, Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika, and Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami are the

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Domestic airlines list Nigerian govt sins

The local airlines also claimed that the firm that served as Transaction Adviser for the transaction was founded in March of last year and that it was connected to the aviation minister.

Local airlines also claimed that the ATL issued to Nigerian Air did not go through the standard security clearance process.

According to them, the Federal Government's collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines on the project will drive domestic airlines out of business by giving Ethiopian Airlines access to the domestic air travel market.

More demands from airlines

The airlines also demand an order of N2b billion only as damages compensation from the federal government.

Part of the court document reads:

"For the injury suffered by the Plaintiffs and still suffering as a result of the wrongful exclusion of the Plaintiffs, wrongful action; unlawful bidding and selection processes and their wrongful projection of the plaintiffs as not having properly, rightly and timely bid for the Nigeria Air project.”

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You have failed Nigerians, minority Reps fumes, tasks Buhari on planned strike by airline operators

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress-led administration had been accused of failing Nigerians.

The allegation against the government and its representatives was made by the minority caucus of the House of Representatives.

The caucus led by the lawmaker representing the Aniocha North/Aniocha South/Oshimili North/Oshimili South constituency in Delta state called on the president to take measures that would avert the impending strike action by airline operators in Nigeria.

Source: Legit.ng