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Flight Resumption: Nigeria bars Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, others
“We used the ‘foreign carrier operator permit’ which is the requirement by our laws, guidelines by COVID-19 PTF and other
guidelines including restrictions that came from other countries which will affect our own operations here at home.
Modupe ASUDO with Agency reports
LAGOS-Ahead of the resumption of international flights, the Nigerian government has released the list of international airlines denied approval to operate in the country.
“Air France, KLM, Etihad, Rwandair, Lufthansa, TAAG Angola Airlines, Air Namibia, and Royal Air Maroc are airlines denied entrance into the country,” the aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, said.
Nigeria had in August vowed to implement a reciprocity clause by banning flights and airlines from countries that put similar bans on flights from Nigeria as nations open their airspace amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Sirika, while speaking at the bi-weekly Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing, on Thursday, said only approved airlines will be allowed into the country’s airspace.
President Muhammad Buhari had in March ordered the suspension of international flights to curb the influx of imported cases of the COVID-19 virus in the country.
While local flights were also suspended, they resumed about five weeks ago as the country joined the rest of the world to battle the pandemic.
Nigeria recorded its first case of COVID-19 in an Italian who arrived in the country late February.
Since then, over 54,000 infections have been recorded leading to over 1,000 deaths.
Approved airlines
Mr Sirika also said some airlines have been given approvals to operate within the COVID-19 protocols. https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
These airlines include: Middle-East, British Airways, Delta Airlines, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Egyptair, Air Peace, Virgin Atlantic, Asky, Africa World Airways (AWA), Air Cote-d’Ivoire, Kenya Airways, Emirate, and Turkish airlines.
He further explained the criteria used in approving and denying operation of the airlines.
“We used the ‘foreign carrier operator permit’ which is the requirement by our laws, guidelines by COVID-19 PTF and other guidelines including restrictions that came from other countries which will affect our own operations here at home.
“Airfrance and Lufthansa were not approved. The reason is that Swiss visa owners are not allowed entry and the same reason for KLM,” he said.
The minister also hinted that passengers who fail to present a valid COVID-19 test or refuse to go for a repeat test may be placed on a travel watch list for six months.
In Lagos State’s Federal High Court, businessman and socialite Pascal Okechukwu, widely known as Cubana Chief Priest, was granted bail of N10 million with two sureties in like sum on Wednesday.
During his trial, he pleaded not guilty to charges of tampering and abusing the naira.
Cubana Chief Priest appeared before Justice Kehinde Ogundare facing three counts related to the alleged abuse of the national currency by spraying and tampering with it at a social event on February 13, 2024, at Eko Hotel, which is contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.
At a social gathering, Cubana Chief Priest reportedly engaged in the offenses while dancing, manipulating funds in N500 notes issued by the CBN by spraying them continuously for two hours.
Okechukwu Pascal, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday for alleged naira Abuse.
At the Federal High Court in Lagos, he pleaded not guilty to three charges brought against him.
His legal team is currently presenting arguments for his bail application, requesting the court to grant him bail under favorable conditions.
Charge filed against Cubana Chief Priest below
COUNT 1: That you. OKECHUKWU PASCAL on 13th February 2024,at Eko Hotel Victoria island. Lagos, within the juridition of this Honourable Court.
“whilst dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Nara) Issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying it,and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act.2007.
COUNT 2: That you,OKECHUKWU PASCAL sometime in 2020, in Lagos within the juridition of this Honourable Court,during a social event tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours,and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act. 2007.
COUNT 3: That you,OKECHUKWU PASCAL sometime In January 2024,in Lagos.withih the juridition of this Honourable Court,during a social event tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 [Five Hundred Naira issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same,ond rou thereby committed on offence contrary to and punishable under section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.
More to follow……
Sylvester Oromoni (Senior), father of the late 12-year-old Dowen College student Sylvester Oromoni (Junior), has contested the findings of the Coroner regarding his son’s death.
The Coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri, concluded after a lengthy session on Monday that the boy’s passing was due to natural causes, but also highlighted parental and medical neglect as contributing factors.
Despite this ruling, Sylvester Oromoni (Senior) expressed disagreement during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday, dismissing the Coroner’s decision as an opinion rather than a satisfactory judgment.
He said “My son died on the 30th day of November 2021. We’ve been in court for two years plus but the judgment given yesterday does not represent the true evidence given in court. I go to court every day. I’ve never missed any day.”
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