Nigeria Air: Court Freezes Federal Govt’s Pact With Ethiopian Airlines

The Federal High Court, Lagos has suspended the proposed Nigeria Air, embarked upon by the federal government.

LEADERSHIP reports that about eight local airlines and their association took the government to court on Friday, listing Nigerian Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, as defendants.

Among other prayers, the indigenous airlines claimed that the firm which served as Transaction Adviser for the transaction, was incorporated in March last year and alleged that the company was linked to the aviation minister.

Some airline operators and their sympathisers have faulted the ceding of 49 per cent equity shares to Ethiopian Airlines said to be the most successful airline in Africa while the federal government owns five per cent while MRS and Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) are the other shareholders.

The carriers equally expressed the concern that the airline with Ethiopian Airlines as the biggest shareholder would stifle the domestic airline market with them be at the receiving end.

In a judgment by Justice Lewis Allogoa, he ordered maintenance of status quo by all parties in this suit from taking any further steps pending the determination of the motion on notice is granted.

The judge ordered, “that an Order of Interim Injunction is granted restraining the defendants either by themselves, agents, privies, principals or any other persons whosoever from executing the proposed or draft National Carrier establishment and agreement between the federal government of Nigeria (represented by the 3rd and 4th defendants) and the strategic equity partner (the 2nd defendant) or giving effect to and or suspending the sale and transfer of the shares & operations of the 1st Defendant by the 2nd Defendant pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.