By Charles Adingupu
The crisis brewing over the mysterious emergence of Air Nigeria as a registered entity at the twilight of President Muhmmadu Buhari’s administration will not fade away anytime soon.
The Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika at the exit point of the Buhari administration, “launched” Nigeria Air in Abuja using a chartered Ethiopian aircraft.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, to appear before the commission.
The anti-graft agency had also questioned officials of the Nigerian Air over the recent launch of the airline in Abuja.
An impeccable source hinted that while the minister was due to appear before the commission within the week to answer questions relating to the launch of the airline, Nigerian Air, garbed in Ethiopian colours, the commission had already grilled some of the officials of the national carrier.
Spokesman of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that there was an ongoing investigation but could not give further details.
“I can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation in that regard,” he said.
Competent sources averred that the commission would look at the N3 billion sunk into the project which some stakeholders said cost the Nigerian state over N80 billion.
The minister had, at the last days of the Buh administration, initiated the supposed launch of the Nigerian Air in Abuja using an Ethiopian aircraft.
Stakeholders were enraged that an Ethiopian airline that landed in Nigeria with Ethiopian colours was packaged as a national carrier.
The minister said at a recent Arise News Channel interview that the landing of the Ethiopian aircraft in Abuja, was “a marketing strategy.”
A source close to the investigation said, “We have already questioned some officials of Nigerian Air.
“We have invited the former Aviation minister, Hadi Sirika and we are expecting him within the week.”
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) disclosed last week that the airline was still on the first stage in a five-phase process of obtaining Air Operator Certificate (AOC) to operate as a commercial airline.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had also consistently opposed the idea on several grounds.
Speaking on the matter recently, the spokesman of AON, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to be “blackmailed into accepting a contraption that would definitely and ultimately hurt the Nigerian economy and destroy millions of existing jobs in favour of one or two individuals.
