BREAKING: Tinubu's Govt Suspends Air Nigeria Indefinitely, Gives Reason

• The federal government has announced the indefinite suspension of the Air Nigeria Airline project
• The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this at the ministerial briefing to celebrate the first year of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration
• Citing the reason for the suspension, Keyamo (SAN) stated that the airline was never a Nigerian airline

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public journalism and governance.

FCT, Abuja - The Bola Tinubu government on Monday, May 27, 2024, announced the indefinite suspension of the Air Nigeria airline project.

As reported by The Nation, Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, made this known in Abuja at the ministerial briefing to celebrate the first year of the Tinubu administration.

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According to him, the airline was never a Nigerian airline but instead, an attempt to impersonate a foreign airline operating in Nigeria.

Vanguard newspaper also noted the Nigerian government's latest decision concerning the Air Nigeria project.

Keyamo said:

“It remains suspended. It was never Air Nigeria. It was not Air Nigeria. That’s the truth. It was only painted Air Nigeria. It was Ethiopian Airlines trying to flag our flag.

“If it is so, why not allow our local people to fly our flag? Why bring a foreigner to fly our flag? So nobody should dispute that it was Air Nigeria.

“Air Nigeria must be indigenous, must be wholly Nigerian, and must be for the full benefits of Nigeria, not that 50 percent of the profit is for another country.”

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Air Nigeria controversy with Sirika as minister

In 2023, the ministry of aviation, under Hadi Sirika, former minister, unveiled Nigeria Air — three days before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The development had elicited concerns among stakeholders nationwide over the ownership arrangement which gave Ethiopian Airlines a 49 percent equity stake.

The federal government had a 5 percent equity, while a consortium of three Nigerian investors had 46 percent.

EFCC arrests Sirika’s brother in N8bn investigation

Legit.ng earlier reported that Abubakar Ahmad Sirika, Hadi Sirika's younger brother, was taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The arrest is related to ongoing inquiries into activities within the aviation ministry.

Source: Legit.ng