The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Jet

  • BREAKING: Private jet with VIPs crash-lands in Ibadan

    BREAKING: Private jet with VIPs crash-lands in Ibadan

    A private jet having about 10 persons onboard including Very Important Personalities (VIPs) has crash-landed in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    According to reports, the jet crash landed on Friday around 11 am at the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport.

    The jet with registration number, N580KR, missed the runway into the nearby bush.

    Read Also: Ibadan explosion: We’ll come out stronger, Makinde assures citizens

    Firefighters and rescue officials from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were immediately deployed to the scene. But there was no death or casualty recorded.

    “It was a private plane from Abuja. It landed safely but overshot the runway. There was no casualty,” a spokesperson for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Carol Adekotujo, told our correspondent over the phone.

    When contacted, a spokesman for the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Tunji Oketunmbi, confirmed the incident.

    Details shortly…

  • Ex-minister ‘blew’ $56m cash on jet

    About $56million of the $1.09billion Malabu Oil Block cash was used by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources to buy a jet, The Nation has learnt.

    The aircraft has been traced to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

    Four anti-corruption organisations have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) demanding the seizure of the jet.

    These disclosures were contained in the petition sent to the EFCC by the four groups.

    The petition was signed by the Chairman, Human Resource Development Centre (HEDA), Olanrewaju Suraju; Corner House Director, Nick Hildyard; Re: Common Director, Antonio Tricarico; and Co-founder, Global Witness, Simon Taylor

    They alleged that the jet was said to be worth 56million dollars.

    In the petition, which was addressed to the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the anti-corruption groups said the jet was bought with proceeds of corruption relating to the fraudulent sale of OPL 245.

    They demanded the retrieval and forfeiture of the jet by the Federal Government through the EFCC.

    The four anti-corruption crusaders, which attended the court proceedings in Milan, said their position was strengthened by “findings from the on-going international corruption case taking place at the Milan, Italy Court”.

    The petition said: “The investigation focused on the sales of OPL245 to Eni and Shell. It also involves grievous allegations of corruption linked with several serving and former company managers, including Nigerian politicians.

    “Prosecutors in Milan were told by a former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent, Debra LaPrevotte and Ten. Col. Alessandro Ferri both involved in the investigations of the case, that 56 million USD of proceeds of corruption was used by the former minister for the purchase of a private jet in Oklahoma City, USA.

    “The specific tail registration number of the aircraft was given as M-MYNA

    “What we heard from testimony in the court confirmed the information enclosed in a table produced by the FBI, and already disclosed as a public document in the court case, Crown vs. Malabu Oil and Gas, which was held at Southwark Crown Court in London, UK; namely that proceeds of the OPL 245 deal were used to purchase a Bombardier Global 6000 private jet with the registration number M-MYNA”

    “This aircraft is listed as registered to Tibit Limited (BVI) and registered in the Isle of Man. The FBI table notes that the aircraft purchase was made from Insured Aircraft Title Services, Oklahoma City, US. We note that the company appeared in a 2010 investigation by the US Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee, Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations, regarding their role in the purchase of aircraft by PEPs.”

    They alleged that “the individuals connected to Tibit Ltd, a BVI company involved in selling several Bombardier 6000 jets, have been the subject of a court case with the Australian Tax Office.

    Read also: Malabu Oil deal: FG claims $1.975b against JP Mogan, Shell, Eni

    “The report related to the Panama Papers has also raised questions about the Bombardier sales.”

    The anti-corruption organisations urged the government to seize the aircraft.

    They said: “The aircraft’s most recent flight, according to public aircraft tracking websites, was from Paris to Dubai airport on the 7th June 2017. The aircraft appears to have remained in Dubai since.

    “There is, therefore, reason to believe that the jet is still in Dubai airport and could be frozen by competent authorities as possible proceeds of crime.

    “We kindly urge you to verify this information and take appropriate steps, including asset freezing and forfeiture, where possible, under the 2018 Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between Nigeria and United Arab Emirates.”

    The OPL245 is an offshore oil block with about nine billion barrels of crude.

    It was auctioned for $1.3 billion (1.1 billion euros).

    Although the Nigerian government received only $210 million as Signature Bonus, about $1.092 billion was traced to a London bank account which was suspected to be slush funds allegedly used to bribe some middle men and politicians in the country.

    A former President was accused of benefiting about $200 million from the Malabu oil deal.

    About $523million of the  $1.092billion paid for the block was shared out as bribes to some former ministers and politicians.

     

  • Air Peace takes delivery of 6th Embraer jet

    Nigerian carrier, Air Peace has received the last of the six 50-seater Embraer 145 jets it recently acquired to boost its vision of providing seamless flight services on the domestic, regional and international routes.

     

    The airline made the announcement in a statement issued by its Corporate Communications Manager, Mr Chris Iwarah on Wednesday, in Lagos.

    Iwarah said the aircraft marked 5N-BUW and named Virginia Omeogo Adegoke (Nee Onyema), touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 4am on Tuesday.

     

    He said the airline’s goal of guaranteeing seamless flight operations as well as connecting unserved and underserved routes was fast being fulfilled.

    “We are delighted to announce the arrival of our sixth 50-seater Embraer 145 jet at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 4am on Tuesday.

     

    “The arrival of the aircraft has further strengthened our resolve to provide seamless flight services on the domestic, regional and international routes.

    “It will as also extend the reach of our exceptional operations to many more unserved and underserved destinations under our no-city-left-behind project,” Iwarah said.

     

    Read Also: Air Peace receives fifth Embraer regional jet

     

    He said the airline had in February 2018 established a subsidiary, Air Peace Hopper, towards actualising this objective.

    Iwarah said “Since we started this project, the pieces of feedback have been quite encouraging.

     

    “There have been challenges, including delays mostly on account of circumstances bordering on safety and other factors beyond our control.

    “However, we have kept reviewing our schedules and restrategising to ensure the best of flight services for our teeming loyal customers. This has greatly paid off and the delays reduced to the barest minimum.”

     

    According to him, Air Peace was in aviation to create massive job opportunities, connect people and business and leisure destinations and help in growing the economies of Nigeria and other nations.

     

    He noted that the addition of more aircraft to the airline’s fleet would deepen its capacity for travelers during the yuletide.

     

    NAN

     

  • NAF jet destroys Boko Haram anti-aircraft gun

    NAF jet destroys Boko Haram anti-aircraft gun

    In a series of operations aimed at stopping the regrouping of fleeing Boko Haram insurgents, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jet on Saturday successfully intercepted a group of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) moving in an Hilux vehicle mounted with anti-aircraft gun.

    According to the Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa,the armed vehicle was sighted at Talala in Northern Borno by an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft on patrol, which then called for strike by combat platform.

    Famuyiwa said following the alert, two Alpha Jets were immediately scrambled to the location. “Whereas the insurgents, on sighting the attacking aircraft, fled for cover under nearby trees, the vehicles were attacked and were completely engulfed in an inferno.

    “Follow-up battle damage assessment (BDA) by NAF ISR aircraft revealed that the air strike was successful as the vehicles were completely destroyed as shown by the enclosed declassified footage of the operation.”

    The NAF has intensified ISR missions over the entire theatre of operation in the North East, especially around Northern Borno.

    The objective is to prevent the remnants of the BHT from regrouping with a view to launching attack on own troops on clearance operations as well as people within the host communities.

  • Boko Haram: Air Force to buy new jet

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is seeking to add an additional C295W military aircraft to its fleet as the battle against the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) reaches an advance stage.

    The NAF has been crucial to the recent victories recorded by the military in the Northeast, through series of sustained aerial bombardment of camps and locations of Boko Haram militants.

    The aircraft is to be purchased from Airbus Defence and Space Company Spain which had earlier in the year made proposals to the leadership of the NAF and submitted a sale proposal to the Air Force.

    The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, recently played host to Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Alfonso Barnuevo Sebastian De Erice, who led two executives of Airbus Defence and Space Company (Spain) to Headquarters Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and held discussion on the company’s proposal to sell the C295W military aircraft to the NAF.

     According to the NAF, based on its operational capabilities, the aircraft was considered suitable to meet some of its operational needs including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and airlift operations. The NAF has also recommended the aircraft for acquisition and provisions have been made for this in the 2017 budget proposal.

    The CAS has also urged the visiting team to start looking into training areas for NAF pilots and technicians on the aircraft. This, the CAS said, is with a view to ensuring a smooth take-off for the operation of the aircraft in the event of its approval by the Federal Government.

     According to Airbus Defence and Space Company, “The C95W aircraft has a robust airframe integrating an optimised cabin and redundant systems. The medium-sized aircraft can operate either as a single transport fleet or complement heavy airlifters and transport helicopters. The new wing design with winglets allows for the carriage of more payload to long distances and ensures the aircraft to achieve 4% fuel savings.”

    It also has the capacity to carry up to 71 troops or up to 9t of cargo, it is also equipped with fully integrated tactical system (FITS), which coordinates the data from the mission sensors to enhance mission awareness and support decision making. The C295W can fly at a maximum cruise speed of 480km/h and can reach a maximum altitude of 25,000ft.

     The new C95W  is equipped with winglets and uprated engines to deliver improved performance than its predecessor as the under-wing stations of the aircraft can be fitted with CIRIT 70mm laser-guided missile, LUMTAS laser-guided, long-range anti-tank missile, and TEBER laser-guided bomb according to Airbus.

     For the fight against Boko Haram the installed self-defence equipment and systems including cockpit armour, radar warning receiver (RWR), missile approach warning system (MAWS), laser warning system (LWS), and chaff / flares dispensers will become effective.

    Countries which has recently purchased the C295W aircraft include: Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Mali. 

  • T.B. Joshua’s new private jet story

    T.B. Joshua’s new private jet story

    When the news hit town that T.B Joshua had acquired a luxury aircraft, some began to recount what the Bible says on material possessions, and tongues began to wag. But many received the news with mixed emotions. However, contrary to the tale spreading like a wild harmattan fire, the founder of Synagogue Church of All Nation (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, simply addressed as T. B Joshua, has denied acquiring a luxury aircraft worth $60 million.

    He added that not only is it a baseless rumour, but he could not fathom where it originated from. He therefore enjoined the public to disregard the tale as there is no iota of truth in it. One of his media aides, Ezekiel, disclosed to some sections of society journals that there is no truth in the rumour. According to him, some people just like peddling unnecessary rumours. Despite T.B Joshua’s denial, some people  insist that the man of God allegedly picked the brand new Gulfstream G550 aircraft in 2014. When the news hit town that T.B Joshua had acquired a luxury aircraft, some began to recount what the Bible says on material possessions, and tongues began to wag. But many received the news with mixed emotions. However, contrary to the tale spreading like a wild harmattan fire, the founder of Synagogue Church of All Nation (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, simply addressed as T. B Joshua, has denied acquiring a luxury aircraft worth $60 million.

    He added that not only is it a baseless rumour, but he could not fathom where it originated from. He therefore enjoined the public to disregard the tale as there is no iota of truth in it. One of his media aides, Ezekiel, disclosed to some sections of society journals that there is no truth in the rumour. According to him, some people just like peddling unnecessary rumours. Despite T.B Joshua’s denial, some people  insist that the man of God allegedly picked the brand new Gulfstream G550 aircraft in 2014.

  • Private jet owners get 90-day ultimatum

    Private jet owners get 90-day ultimatum

    The Federal Government has issued a 90-day ultimatum to private jet owners to streamline their operations according to civil aviation regulations.

    The ultimatum was given at the conclusion of a meeting between the officials of the Ministry of Aviation and the stakeholders in the general aviation sector.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Alhaji Mohammed Abass, gave the ultimatum after the meeting, which lasted several hours at Abuja.

    As part of the decisions at the meeting, the ban on operators of foreign registered privately operated aircraft has been lifted with conditions.

    In a statement by the NCAA’s spokesman, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, the authority said: “In furtherance of the Ministry of Aviation’s calculated efforts to streamline the operations of the private jets owners, a 90 days ultimatum has been given to them to come up with their operational preference.

    “As earlier indicated, the 90 days ultimatum is one of the conditions, during which it is expected that all operators would have regularise their documentation to specify their choice of operation.

    “However, during this moratorium, it is still subsisting that no private jet owner will be allowed to surreptitiously convert his jet for commercial purposes.”

    At the end, it was agreed by those present at the meeting that any violation during the ultimatum and after will be visited with stiffer penalties than earlier earmarked.

  • Air Force loses jet in Boko Haram battle

    Air Force loses jet in Boko Haram battle

    The wreckage of a military jet which went missing on Friday may have been found.

    Villagers in Lala State Development Area in Adamawa State claimed yesterday to have seen the wreckage.

    An administrative officer in Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State said villagers assisted a military search team in an effort to locate the plane after rumours that it crashed between Ngalga and Barda in Gabun ward.

    The official said after an intensive search without a clue, soldiers who were  more than 100, attempted to move to the Borno side of the boundary to continue the search but were blocked by the Gabun River, which has overflown its banks.

    The official said vilagers from Hawul village on the Borno side of the border informed him that a plane-like object was sighted in the mountainous area.

    “Some villagers have just called to tell me that an object they believed to be an aircraft was  discovered in the bush,” he said.

    He said a search party by the villagers will comb the area this morning.

    The plane, one of those deployed against Boko Haram insurgents in Konduga, Borno State, on Friday is an Alpha jet. It got missing in Adamawa State.

    More than 200 insurgents were killed in the operation and four soldiers were injured.

    The Defence Headquarters yesterday said a search team had been deployed in the state to find the Alpha Jet (NAF 466).

    But the incident has not stopped air strikes in Bama, Gwoza and Madagali.

    A statement by the Director, Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, said: “An Alpha Jet (NAF 466) belonging to the Nigerian Air Force is missing around Adamawa State.

    “The aircraft, with two pilots onboard, left Yola at about 10:45am on 12 September 2014 on a routine operational mission and was expected back by 12:00 noon.

    “Since then all efforts to establish contact with the aircraft have not yielded any positive result. Meanwhile, search and rescue effort is ongoing to establish contact with the crew.”

    The likelihood of the aircraft being brought down by Boko Haram was considered remote by a military source.

    The source said: “A sad moment after the euphoria of joy and excitement of military victory in Konduga. The jet did much of the bombardments of the insurgents, got missing in Adamawa axis.

    “We are definitely searching for the jet; it is too early to either talk of a crash or attack by the insurgents.

    “Some members of the search team have been in and around Michika town in Adamawa but we have not found the jet.”

    The source claimed that the incident had not stopped ongoing operations in Borno and Adamawa states.

    “Troops are still going ahead with air strikes in Bama, Gwoza and Madagali areas against the insurgents,” he said, adding:

    “We are determined to consolidate on the gains recorded against the insurgents on Friday. In fact, intelligence report indicated that Boko Haram is getting war-weary.”

    Adamawa State Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri yesterday commiserated with the Nigeria Air Force over the loss of its fighter Jet.

    Fintiri said the prayers of the people were with the aircraft pilots and for their safe return to their families.

    The Acting Governor’s position was contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Solomon Kumangar.

    Fintiri saluted the resilience of the military and the gains they were making in the war against the insurgents.

    The military last week commenced heavy air bombardment on Michika and Madagali towns that were over ran by Boko Haram militants. The jets were shelling locations believed to have large concentration of insurgents.

    The aerial bombardment, according to sources, left the Boko Haram insurgents suffering extensive losses in men and equipment.