‘Minister painted Ethiopian Airlines plane in Nigeria Air livery,’ as airline operators accuse Sirika of ‘hoodwinking entire nation’

Nigeria Air aircraft which flew into the country, Friday, as part of a ceremony to inaugurate the nation’s national carrier is still officially a property of Ethiopian Airlines, as it has not changed ownership, according to reliable sources.

This is also as the umbrella body of civil aviation operators in the country, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) say the Minister, Hadi Sirika, is attempting to hoodwink Nigerians into believing that the Nigeria Air project is on track, just as they expressed worry that his actions may create problems for the incoming administration, ‘ultimately hurt the Nigerian economy and destroy millions of existing job.’

Reacting to the arrival of a Nigeria Air aircraft and purported official commissioning of the national carrier in Abuja, Friday, the airline operators claim the development spearheaded by the Minister of Aviation, Sirika, with less than 72 hours to the end of his tenure after 7 years in office is only intended to ‘favour of one or two individuals and a foreign country.’

Describing Sirikia’s latest attempt to launch the Nigeria Air project as a ‘hurried last minute desperation,’ the airline operators, listed grounds to fault the minister’s action to include that, the Nigeria Air project is yet to obtain the full certification of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) license to fly, as it is only at the first stage of approval.

The group also noted that a subsisting court injunction prevents the minister with the project, as, according to them, Sirika is facing court contempt if he continues with the national carrier promotion.

AON spokesman and Chairman of the United Nigeria Airlines, Prof Obiora Okonkwo said that all the statements and actions of Sirika ‘are in flagrant disobedience of the orders of the Federal High Court of Nigeria which halted the said moves by the Minister to float the said airline until the determination of the substantive suit brought by AON against it.’

“We make bold to respond because of the myriad of inquiries from concerned and patriotic Nigerians and industry stakeholders who have either called or sent messages over the Minister’s comments.

“For the avoidance of doubt, AON welcomes the establishment of more airlines in Nigeria for we believe that the skies are big enough to accommodate all. However, AON is against any contraption that is shadowy and not in the best overall interest of the country.

“We need the outgoing Minister to come forward, defend and counter the very damning submissions in our suit.

“Again, it is very disturbing that a Minister is desperately hoodwinking the entire nation into accepting a massively flawed process just 72hours to the end of his 7-year tenure in office as Minister of Aviation, even as the courts have halted him,” AON wondered.

Only recently, the minister  was accused of arm twisting the NCAA into fast-tracking the process of issuance of the Airline Operators Certificate (AOC) for Nigeria Air, which is still at the Stage One, with four more stages to go.

According to Okonkwo, the Federal Government should understand that ‘the actions and pronouncements of this Minister is not only impugning on the independence and integrity of the NCAA, but also capable of bringing the entire industry into disrepute thereby adversely affecting the ratings of Nigeria’s airlines on the global stage.’

“The Minister cannot order these certification processes by fiat. Therefore, an aircraft flying into Nigeria and bearing Nigerian colours does not change anything,” the airline operators posited.

According to AON, the minister ‘knows that until the court order is vacated, the Ministry of Aviation cannot proceed with any action towards the airline.’

Meanwhile, reports have also emerged of how the minister, Sirika colluded with the Ethiopian Airlines, which owns a 49 per cent stake in the proposed Nigerian national carrier, to rent out one of its aircraft, repainted it in the livery of the Nigeria Air, and had it flown to Nigeria ‘just to convince President Muhammadu Buhari that the project that has gulped billions of naira is real.

The alleged ‘tokunbo’ aircraft is reportedly still owned and operated by Ethiopian Airlines prior to its flight into the Nigerian airspace, Friday.

The Ministry of Aviation had dispatched an invitation to stakeholders inviting them to launch of Nigeria Air at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, Friday.

Federal Government, Friday, formally unveiled the nation’s national carrier, Nigeria Air, at a ceremony held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in the nation’s capital, Abuja and performed by the Aviation minister.

“Nigeria Air Limited has come to stay and, is a Public Private Partnership between Nigeria and Ethiopian Airlines which we hope will restore the glory of the Aviation Industry to meet international standards.

“Right now processes have commenced for the aircraft to start Operation domestically as time goes on, we are expecting thirty-five aircraft more in the next five years to operate all over the world as Nigeria Air Limited,“ Sirika said.

Addressing journalists, Chief Commercial Officer of Ethiopian Airlines Mr Lemma Yadeche assured Nigerians that they are fully prepared for the commencement of Operation in the country

“With this Partnership I believe we are going to achieve remarkable success in the areas of job creation, economic growth and diplomatic relationship by taking advantage of our population,“ Yadeche said.

According to Sirika, 30 aircraft are expected to form the fleet of Nigeria Air in the next five years. However, only one aircraft has arrived.

The minister insists that the national carrier would be private-sector driven with the Federal Government holding just a 5% stake while private owners would hold the remaining 95% share in the new airline.

However, according to investigators who probed the aircraft which landed at the Abuja airport, Friday, May 26, 2023, the Nigeria Air plane is a Boeing 737-860 Max type aircraft, with Registration Number ET-APL. Aircraft Mode: S Q4005C with Serial Number: 40965/4075.

The plane is said to 10 years, 8 months of age, having flown on its maiden flight on 22nd June 2012 as an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft and then later it became a part of Malawi Airlines fleet on 16th February 2014.

It was re-leased to Ethiopian Airlines on 12th August 2015, before it landed in Nigeria on 26th May 2023 in Nigeria Air livery without changing ownership.

The aircraft is said to be Active in status, with its last activity: 4 hours ago, and Last known location: Abuja, in Nigeria.