Chinelo Obogo
Executive Jet Services Limited has apologised to the Federal Government for flying in artiste, Azeez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, from Lagos to Abuja, saying the error was a case of mistaken identity.
The apology comes following the suspension of the company by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, for flying the musician to Abuja against the airspace closure by government which stipulated that only essential airlift services could be approved due to coronavirus pandemic.
In a letter of apology to Sirika, signed by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Dr. Sam Iwuajoku, he said the name on the manifest for the flight that was given to him was that of Babatunde Fashola instead of Azeez Fashola (Naira Marley) and it was erroneously assumed that it was the Minister of Works and Housing that was meant to fly.
“We hereby apologise for the above flight with your permit ref: FMA/ATMD/0175/V/V/1268 dated June 11 2020. Please the flight was to carry a judge to Abuja on Sunday, June 14 2020 as requested and the permit was granted based on the application. But, unfortunately, when I called the Judge on Saturday morning to inform him that we have the permit, he then said he has reached Abuja already with a different flight; that someone gave him a lift to Abuja.
“On Saturday morning, June 13, 2020, my staff called and told me that they have a charter flight to Abuja and that the passengers were already at the lounge. As a rule, passenger manifest is always sent to me before any departure. When I went through the manifest and I saw Fashola Babatunde, I thought it was the Minister of Works going to Abuja with his men, so we decided to do the flight, since he is serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I didn’t know that it was a bunch of useless people. We are sorry for this mistake and we promise it won’t happen again,” the letter read.