Nigerian govt impounds British aircraft for operating commercial flight into the country

An aircraft belonging to a British company has been impounded by the Federal government for operating a commercial flight into the country without approval.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika on Sunday via his Twitter handle, @hadisirika.

According to Sirika, the company, Flair Aviation, was authorised to conduct humanitarian flights but was caught operating commercial flights.

He further explained that in addition to the confiscated aircraft, a “penalty” would be imposed on the company for the contravention of FG’s ban on commercial flights as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Read also: 39 Nigerian returnees from West African countries quarantined in Badagry

“COVID-19. Flair Aviation, a UK company, was given approval for humanitarian operations but regrettably, we caught them conducting commercial flights. This is callous! The craft is impounded, the crew being interrogated. There shall be maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve,” the minister tweeted.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had shut the country’s airspace to commercial flights, both local and international in an effort to contain the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.

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