The House of Representatives has declared the launch of Nigerian Air fraudulent, ordering that the national carrier project, which reportedly gulped N85 billion, be suspended immediately.
Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, made the declaration following an investigation that witnessed the major stakeholders in the deal between the Federal Government and Ethiopian Airlines denying knowledge of the launch.
As part of the investigation, the committee summoned the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry and other relevant stakeholders to present themselves and provide the necessary information.
In its response to the inquiry, the Ministry of Aviation claimed Nigeria Air was only unveiled and not launched. The committee however dismissed the response as an attempt to divert lawmakers’ attention.
Last month, after the former Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika unveiled a plane with the name Nigerian Air, investigative journalist David Hundeyin was quick to point out that the aircraft belongs to Ethiopian Airlines, and had been fraudulently rented for the launch.
In context, this is not today's important story, but I thought to flag it up too.
Aviation minister @hadisirika is committing broad daylight fraud by displaying this rented and hurriedly repainted @flyethiopian Boeing 737-800 as an aircraft belonging to a phantom "Nigeria Air". https://t.co/B3ipUurVO1 pic.twitter.com/DfDa3Sc5Gf
— David Hundeyin (@DavidHundeyin) May 26, 2023
Days later, Hundeyin reported that the plane had returned to its route in service to the Ethiopian Airline.
Aviation expert and analyst, Captain Ado Sanusi, also said in an interview with ChannelsTV then that it is practically impossible for Nigeria Air to start commercial passenger operation in two days given the rigorous process involved, upholding the Hundeyin’s report that the launch is fraudulent.
During the investigation, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) told members of the committee that the aircraft bearing Nigerian colors was on a chartered flight to Nigeria. According to other stakeholders who confirmed NAMA’s disclosure, a chartered flight could be painted in any color and with any inscriptions.
In his testimony to a Senate committee on Aviation, Capt. Dapo Olumide, the Interim Managing Director of Nigerian Air, confirmed that the unveiled Nigeria Aircraft was hired. According to him, the aircraft that came and left was a legitimate chartered flight which can be done by anyone who doesn’t have a license as long as you pay for it.
At the meeting, the Chairman of the Senate Aviation Committee, Senator Biodun Olujimi had wondered why the immediate past Minister of Aviation hurriedly unveiled a national carrier on the last day of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Olumide, who boasts of over four decades of experience in the aviation industry, noted that for Nigeria to operate an airline, the aircraft must be registered in Nigeria.
He testified that the particular aircraft that was unveiled was not registered and came into Nigeria with a few days’ clearance from Ethiopia and was returned after use.
Nigerian Air is not licensed to fly
Following the controversy surrounding the launch of Nigerian Air and the allegation of fraud leveled against it, further investigations revealed that the airline is not fully certified to fly.
Olumide confirmed that in his testimony to the senate committee. He said that Nigeria only has airport license which is one of two licenses required for operating an airline and it does not permit one to carry out commercial service operations
He further explained that Nigeria Air needs at least three registered aircraft before it could be issued a license and approved for operation by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.
The captain, who confirmed that he was appointed in February 2022, to secure the air operating certificate for Nigerian Air, disclosed that Nigeria is not at a point of operating the airline yet, as Nigeria Air does not have terminals for international operations.
He further explained that there are five phases or steps one goes through to get the needed license and Nigeria Air is still in phase one of the process.
RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSE OF REPS COMMITTEE ON AVIATION
The Committee after careful evaluation of the issues on deliberation is totally dissatisfied with the actions of the former Minister of Aviation, Sen, Hadi Sirka in going ahead to flag off the operations of Nigeria Air despite a standing Court injunction against such, and without any provision for sustaining the operations of the airline.
We are equally irked by the role played by Ethiopian Airline in this whole process. It does not speak well of the excellent brotherly relationship existing between our two nations.
A careful review of the process indicates the exercise to be highly opaque, shrouded in secrecy, shoddy and capable of ridiculing and tarnishing the image of Nigeria before the international community.
We want to put on record, that the Committee and indeed the National Assembly had no role in the purported launch of Nigeria Air or anything related thereof.
While the Committee and indeed the parliament is not opposed to Nigeria having a National Carrier, as a matter of fact having a National Carrier is highly desirable to us as a people and Nigeria, as a nation. However, such a process should be transparent and all embracing.
We, as a Committee, would not accept any attempt by any individual or group of individuals or organization to hide under the project and siphon our commonwealths.
Consequently, the Committee hereby resolves to:
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Direct the Federal Ministry of Aviation and its partners in the Nigeria Air project to immediately suspend flights operations and every other actions with respect to the Nigeria Air;
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Urge our new President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR the President and C-in-C, to as a matter of urgency constitute a high-level Presidential Committee to undertake a holistic Review of the Processes of the whole Nigeria Air project, and advice the government on the way forward.
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Ensure that all individuals, or groups, or organization involved in the controversial shenanigan named “Nigeria Air Take-Off” are brought to book, prosecuted and sanctioned.
