Nigeria impounds UK plane flouting Covid-19 rules
An aircraft belonging to UK firm Flair Aviation. Nigeria on Sunday impounded an aircraft belonging to the company for illegally running a passenger service. PHOTO | POOL
What you need to know:
The UK’s company was running commercial trips despite an existing travel ban.
- Nigeria government shut all the airports to all international flights as part of the measures to curb spread of the disease.
ABUJA
Nigeria on Sunday impounded a UK plane for illegally running a passenger service. The plane had been approved to strictly for humanitarian operations.
The aircraft belonging to Flair Aviation, a UK company, was said to have landed in the West African country with passengers against regulations governing control of Covid-19.
Nigerian Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said in Abuja that Flair was given approval for humanitarian operations but “we caught them conducting commercial flights.”
COMMERCIAL TRIPS
"This is callous! The craft is impounded, crew being interrogated. There shall be maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve,” he warned.
The UK’s company was running commercial trips despite an existing travel ban.
In late march, Nigeria closed all airports in the country to international flights to prevent further spread of coronavirus.
In spite of the ease of on the lockdown, Nigeria government shut all the airports to all international flights as part of the measures to curb spread of the disease.
The Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 extended the closure of the airports as well as inter-state travels and announced a curfew from 8pm to 6pm daily.
As the nation records a spark in the number of Covid-19 cases, hitting 5,621 and with 176 deaths, President Muhammadu Buhari on May 16, 2020 received the Madagascan herbal medication, CVO, for treatment from President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau.
MEDICATION
The president said that he would listen to science before allowing traditional or any new medicines to be administered on Nigerians.
President Embalo brought the medication sample along with him from Madagascar.
Mr Buhari said his position on all such herbal or traditional medicinal postulates had remained the same.
“We have our institutions, systems and processes in the country. Any such formulations should be sent to them for verification.
“I will not put it to use without the endorsement of our institutions,” said the Nigerian President."
