The Federal Government has announced the indefinite suspension of the ExecuJet, the flight company that conveyed controversial Nigerian singer, Naira Marley, on Saturday, to perform at a concert in Abuja despite the interstate travel ban and social distancing rules aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said this on Monday in Abuja at the 43rd joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
He said the government took that action as the company supply false information to get approval.
According to him, the company will also be fined, the Flight Captain will also be sanctioned for providing false information.
Sirika said that the airline used approval granted for a legal flight operation to convey Naira Marley to Abuja for an illegal concert.
The minister said that the flight which Naira Marley used to Abuja for his concert was approved for the use of transporting a judge.
“The flight was supposed to convey a judge, Hon. Justice Adefope Okoji, to Abuja and back to Lagos on official engagement.
“Going forward we willl escalate the mechanisms we have in place, and we will be stricter in our approvals (and enforcement),” he said.
ExecuJet is an international business aviation company headquartered at Zurich Airport, Switzerland with facilities operating in Africa, Asia Pacific, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
According to the Minister, the company had given false information and used approval granted for an illegal flight operation to convey the musician to Abuja.
Naira Marley, had held the concert at Jabi mall on Saturday in contravention of the directive of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus.
The Artist and an ex-housemate of the Big Brother Nigeria, Kim Oprah had shared videos of themselves inside a private jet en route Abuja and upon arriving in the federal capital territory.
Daily Trust had also reported how the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) sealed Jabi Lake Mall for hosting the concert in clear contravention of the law banning public gatherings.
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