The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has said that the controversial national carrier, Air Nigeria, remains suspended Indefinitely.
The minister disclosed this on Monday during the ministerial briefing to mark the one year anniversary of president Bola Tinubu.
The former minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika unveiled Nigeria Air few days before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
However, the controversial national carrier was suspended in August when the new aviation minister announced the suspension of Air Nigeria over ownership concerns.
In his update to Nigerians, Keyami said the contract was unfair to indigenous players.
Keyamo said, “It remains suspended. It was never Air Nigeria. It was not Air Nigeria. That’s the truth. It was only painted Air Nigeria. It was Ethiopian Airlines trying to fly our flag.
“If it is so, why not allow our local people to fly our flag. Why bring a foreigner to fly our flag? So nobody should dispute that it was Air Nigeria.
“Air Nigeria must be indigenous, must be wholly Nigerian, and must be for the full benefits of Nigeria, not that 50 percent of the profit is for another country.”
The prolonged suspension is happening amidst the probe of Sirika by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over N5.8bn alleged fraud.
Sirika, his brother Ahmad Abubakar Sirika and two companies Enginos Nigeria Limited and Samahah Integrated Investment Limited were, on Thursday, May 23, 2024 arraigned by the Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice S.B. Belgore of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court Garki .