MINISTER of Aviation Hadi Sirika has announced that international flights will resume operation on August 29.

The minister stated that flight operation would begin in and out of two airports – Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

Sirika also noted that procedures to be observed by passengers would be announced in due course.

He spoke on Monday in Abuja during the briefing by members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

Asides the test passengers will have to undergo before boarding flights into Nigeria, the minister also stated that they will undergo another test eight days after arrival in the country.

Following this development, the Federal Government said evacuation flights, which were introduced in the wake of the ban on international flights occasioned by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, will end on August 25.

He said: “What we have become used to – physical distancing, wearing of a mask, washing of hands and temperature checks – will continue.  In the beginning, there will be four flights into Abuja and Lagos daily; we will give further details on that. This is a decision that was taken by the PTF and not that by the Aviation Ministry alone.”

On what is required of passengers, Sirika said: “Very close to your departure dates, you will take a COVID test where you are coming from and then, of course, you would go online to fill the health questionnaire so that you don’t bother yourself filling long forms while you arrive on in the aircraft.

“There will also be a portal that we will open. Prior to your departure, you will pay through that platform for the test to be done here in Nigeria after your arrival. Meaning that, just before you depart, you take a test and when you are negative and not showing any signs of COVID-19, we will board you on the flight.

“When you arrive in Nigeria, you will go through the protocols and exit the airport, and the eighth day after your arrival, which we consider the incubation period, you will take a test.

They will pay for the testing before they board and it will be on a platform online and it will give them options of what to do and then the test will be done after eight days.

“So, gradually when we apply all these protocols, there might be no need to take their passport at the airports. In all of this, there is a national air transportation facilitation committee that involves all aviation stakeholders. We are all working on the protocols and it will be released once it is approved by the PTF.”

He also hinted that it has been proven so far that no one has contracted the virus while onboard on aircraft, which is an indication that aircraft are safe.

On the allegation that airport officials collect bribe to pass people for the COVID test, the minister said: “I think it is unfair and I understand that it is something new now. People tend to believe what they read online.

The person who claimed that his family paid an airport official ought to have stated the agency official that was paid because there are so many agencies at the airport.

“By giving the bribe also, the person is a culprit. Please, be fair in your judgment. I am not saying there is no corruption; there is corruption everywhere in the world and in every single country. But be factual in your claims or allegation so that we can get the person.

By Seun Ibiyemi

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said there is no missing N78million passengers fund found in an account of a top management staff’s son.

FAAN said it is by far the most unfortunate misrepresentation of reality, stressing that it considered irked by the reckless reportage from one Sunday Okim of the NewsExpress medium willfully providing wrong information and unprofessionally attaching it to comments to further another cause.

FAAN said it wondered how Mr. Okim attached a questionnaire directed at airport authority and somehow linked it to a travelling passenger and wonders how N78million moved from said passenger to the account of the son of a top management.

The airport authority also wondered who the nameless passenger is and if such monies were declared at any point by the passenger or even reported to the police as it is a criminal offense.

According to FAAN statement, “How did they say passenger transport such a huge sum of money to the airport? And he/she refused to report the missing money to any security agency?  All these, questions the veracity of this story to a right thinking mind.

“The Authority also questions the rationale behind a story that has no depth, doesn’t tell anyone where the passenger was coming from or going or how the money left the passenger whether stolen or transferred.

“The Authority is also surprised that the story does not carry the airline that the passenger travelled with or what day or month this incident happened as this is akin to very bad journalism and the writers of such depthless misrepresentation should not parade themselves as members of the fourth estate.”

“A text message emanating from Mr. Okim had read: I’d like you to react to information. We are told one of your security men, a son of one of your top management staff, M.D Musa, G.M Admin, under your H.R dept was caught with multi-million naira discovered in his personal bank account. Has the matter been reported to the relevant security agency? Thank you for your prompt response.

“There is nothing wrong with an enquiry but providing wrong context to sensationalize serious matters and bring organizations to disrepute is unprofessional and shows the shallow depth of the writer to gain followership on his social media handles.

“At no point did this individual talk about any passenger losing N78 million neither was there any passenger that reported N78 million to Aviation security staff at any of the nation’s airports and neither have we been asked by the Nigeria Police in any state to explain a N78 million theft at any of our airports.

“We view Mr. Okim’s story as intentionally orchestrated to make the authority look bad and frown on such an act. We have asked our legal department to contact, New Express and its Editor to explain legally how the inquiry made translates to the mischievous story that has been trending on social media.”

In the meantime, FAAN is asking Mr. Okim to provide evidence of his story or retract as soon as possible, the choice is his and so is the lawful consequence of his action.

Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, announced on Monday that the reopening procedure will mirror that of domestic flights where operations began with the Lagos and Abuja airports.

“Glad to announce the resumption of international flights from the 29th of August, 2020. Beginning with Lagos and Abuja as we did with the domestic flight resumption,” he tweeted.

“Protocols and procedures will be announced in due course. We thank you for your patience.”