Federal Government has suspended the operations of a private jet charter and aircraft maintenance firm, Executive Jet Services, for flouting COVID-19 regulations by flying Musician, Azeez Fashola better known as Naira Marley, to Abuja to attend a concert.
This was disclosed on Monday by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, during the Presidential Task Force briefing in Abuja.
ExecuJet is an international business aviation company headquartered at Zurich Airport, Switzerland with facilities operating in Africa, Asia Pacific, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
According to the Minister, the company had given false information and used approval granted for an legal flight operation meant to convey a service Justice from Lagos to Abuja on judiciary services to transport Naira Marley.
BREAKING: @hadisirika says the flight that took @officialnairam1 to Abuja was approved for a different purpose, to convey a service Justice from Lagos to Abuja and back, on official assignment. (Judiciary considered essential services). Flight operator violated approval. (1)
— tolu ogunlesi (@toluogunlesi) June 15, 2020
4. Update: CONFIRMED: ExecuJet are the culprits here. According to the Minister of Aviation, they provided false information, and used approval granted for an illegal flight operation to convey a musician to Abuja (for an illegal concert).
— tolu ogunlesi (@toluogunlesi) June 15, 2020
It would be recalled that the singer and an ex-housemate of the Big Brother Nigeria, Kim Oprah had shared videos of themselves inside a private jet en route Abuja and upon arriving in the FCT.
The celebrities came under fire after sharing the video for violating the flight ban and the interstate travel ban when Naira Marley flew into Abuja on Saturday for a concert.
The concert which was meant to be a drive-in concert was reportedly turned into a regular one, with fans of the musician flouting social distancing orders.
Many Nigerians criticised the singer’s actions, organisers of the event – Network Africa and Traffic Bar as well as the Federal Government for not enforcing flight and interstate rules.
Following much criticism, Federal Capital Territory Ministerial Enforcement Task Force on COVID-19 Restrictions on Sunday sealed Jabi Lake Mall indefinitely for hosting the concert.
Read Also: COVID-19: FCT Authorities Seal Jabi Lake Mall Over Naira Marley’s Concert
According to FCTA, the event was in violation of the Federal Government’s directive on public gathering ban as a measure to check the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
