The Federal Government has suspended and sanctioned the captain of the flight that conveyed Naira Marley, a musician to Abuja for violating the protocol guiding the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The minister of Aviation, Malam Hadi Sirike, said this at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 daily news conference in Abuja.
According to him, operations of the flight company have been suspended indefinitely and it will also be fined, flight Captain will also be sanctioned for providing false information.
The minister said that the flight deliberately violated the NCAA rule by conveying a musician, Marley who came from Lagos to perform in Abuja.
Gfhnews reports that the Nigerian musician, Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley had on June 14 held a ‘drive-in-concert’ event at the Jabi Lake Mall.
Siriki said that although approval was given to the flight to fly from Lagos to Abuja and Abuja to Lagos for the purpose of conveying a serving Justice.
He added that the approval was meant to take effect on June 14 but decided to take off from Lagos on June 13, adding that the approval was not meant to convey the musician but the Honourable justice.
“We approve flight but not for any musician, what was approved was for the Hon justice because judiciary is part of essential service and the approval was given for June 14.
“But the approval for the operation was from Lagos to Abuja and Abuja to Lagos, the approval was very clear, the operation was base on protocol guiding COVID-19 issue by NCAA.
He said that such operation was a clear violation of the approval, adding that the federal government would no longer take kindly to such gross violation.
The minister stated that it appeared that some Nigerians and flight operators were daring its resolved, adding that the federal government would not also be tired of protecting Nigerians.
He said that the NCAA would henceforth put mechanism in place to stop such gross violation of its rule, adding that there would be strict adherence to its rule in granting any further approval.
Naira Marley flew from Lagos to Abuja with Ex-BBNaija star, Kimoprah, despite the ban on interstate movement and flights, a Punch report said.
Also, the FCT Ministerial Task Team on COVID19 on June 15 sealed up Jabi Lake Mall in Jabi district indefinitely for violating the PTF directives on the ban on public gatherings.
