Naira Marley Concert: Nigeria Suspends Airline Over Illegal Flight

Posted by African Examiner Entertainment, Entertainment News, Featured, Latest Headlines Monday, June 15th, 2020

By Ganiyu Nasirudeen

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Federal Government (FG) has slammed indefinite suspension on Executive Jet Services – owner of the aircraft which flew a young musician, Azeez Fashola popularly called Naira Marley, to Abuja for a concert.

Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, announced this during the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force briefing in Abuja Monday.

“The operation is a clear violation of our approval which we take very seriously. It seems this is becoming a norm. This is the second time. So, Executive Jet Services is hereby suspended indefinitely and they will face the law.

“The captain will also be sanctioned for giving wrong information to the control tower. It seems also that people are not tired of trying our resolve and we are not tired of living up to our responsibilities. Governance is a serious matter” the Minister stressed.

Sirika vowed that the FG would henceforth be stricter in granting approvals for private flights.

“The person on that flight conducted a concert. We approved a flight, certainly not for a musician. The flight was approved to convey Honourable Justice Adefope Okogie from Lagos to Abuja and then back to Lagos for an official assignment.

“In this challenging time, in our wisdom, we decided that the judiciary was part of the essential services. Moving a judge from Lagos to Abuja was in order” the enraged Minister restated.

Recall that Naira Marley has during COVID-19 lockdown caught in Lekki Lagos alongside others, at a birthday party organized by a Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele.

The accused were all arraigned before court and later sanctioned for flouting the Lagos State Government physical distancing order.