Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has revealed that Nigeria lost at least $2.5 billion (about N1.25 trillion) in the maintenance of its aircraft to foreign Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities in 2021.

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at the inaugural National Aviation Conferences (FNAC) organised by FAAN with the theme: ‘Advancing the Frontiers of Possibilities for Safe, Secure and Profitable Air Transport,’ Managing Director of FAAN, Rabiu Yadudu, said that such capital flight would have been saved if the country had MRO facilities that could adequately cater for all types of aircraft.

To typically carry out C-check on Boeing 737 aircraft or its category, airlines spend at least $1.8 million and C-check is carried out on aircraft every 18 months.

Yadudu said that Nigeria’s potential in the global air transport industry is underutilised as Nigeria has the largest fleet of aircraft within the subregion.

”It was reported that Nigeria lost $2.5 billion (about N1.25 trillion) in MRO investments to neighbouring countries. Having such investments here would have created more employment opportunities for Nigerians, revenue generation and training of technical personnel for maintenance of aircraft,” he said.

”The interlink and value chain between the air transport, tourism and hospitality industry for economic growth cannot be over-emphasised. Today, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, London bridge, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, the British Museum in the United Kingdom, etc, have all been consciously developed into major tourist attractions that drive passenger traffic to those destinations and by implication attract businesses and generate employments for the locals and foreigners alike,” he said.

Earlier, Sirika in his goodwill message, disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari would at any moment from now sign into law the passed Civil Aviation Bill by the National Assembly.

He assured that with the president’s assent to the bill, the Nigerian aviation industry would grow rapidly, while more opportunities would also be created for all stakeholders and investors.

He pointed out that the Aviation Industry Roadmap as approved by the Federal Government was intentionally fashioned after the Public-Private Participation (PPP) model with the plan to grow the entire sector.

He challenged investors to tap into the myriads of opportunities in the sector, especially with the recently approved 12,000 hectares of land for implementation of the aviation roadmap by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Some of the aviation roadmaps include MRO, Aviation Leasing Company, National Carrier, Aerospace University, Airport Concession and Aerorropolis amongst others.

“We are ready to pursue all the components of the roadmap. Every part of the roadmap has reached advanced stages and all would be delivered before the end of this administration. The aviation industry in Nigeria is a goldmine, but it is still a virgin.

”Globally, the core variables that sustain the aviation industry are safety and security. We must continue to sustain these in the country,” he stated.

The Kaduna State Government has described as untrue, several reports suggesting that the bandits attack in Kajuru was carried out by terrorists who used a helicopter to shoot at their victims, Channels Television has reported. 

While the government mourned the gruesome killing and burning of houses in the attacked locations, the Commissioner for Internal Security, Samuel Aruwan, said it was an Air Force helicopter (under Operation Whirl Punch) that was dispatched to the area.

According to him, the soldiers scanned the first two locations of the attack which are Dogon Noma and Ungwan Sarki, it was at these villages that the operatives sighted burnt houses and properties on fire.

Deaths recorded from the two locations were about 31, and while the gunmen moved to wreak the same havoc on Ungwan Maikori, they were intercepted by the NAF helicopter.

The formidable fight put up by the security operatives deterred the bandits from further attacks on the citizens in the village, after the gunmen had already killed one local and burnt several houses.

“The story that a helicopter provided air support to the bandits against the locals, is therefore an untrue account,” Mr Aruwan stressed.

He said the Kaduna State government having gone through all the facts, finds it regrettable that a section of media would circulate an unverified report, insensitive to its implications on national security, law and order.

The commissioner invited eyewitnesses to the peddled report of a helicopter aiding bandits in the killing of innocent citizens to present their accounts to the government backed by incontrovertible facts.

He further stated that the military, police and other agencies working in the general area deserve commendation and motivation, rather than demoralizing allegations.

“In the last 72 hours, security forces have conducted vigorous operations in the same general area, and are on the trail of a wounded notable terrorist.

“Similarly, several kidnapped victims, including an expatriate kidnapped at a mining site, were rescued after a fierce engagement with bandits,” the Home Affairs Commissioner explained.

Aruwan said since the attack on Sunday, security agencies and traditional leaders in the locations have been updating the government on the development.

He further stated that as of today, 32 persons have been confirmed dead following the attack.

The deceased are listed as follows:

DOGON NOMA

– Ahmadu Musa

– Audu Dandaura

– Akilu Laya

– David Wasika

– Hajatu Buhari

– Nashon Buhari

– Iliya Yaki

– Javan Mairabo

– Jackson Adamu

– Nasco Victor

– Dutse Gwamna

– Joshua Amadi

– Gona Isah

– Douglas Yakubu

– Phineas Joel

– Tanimu Umaru

– Abody Iliya

– Wanzami Halidu

– Dogo Aweh

– Sunday Shittu

– Rejoice Audu

– Jedidiah Ayawa

– Jinkai Pius

– Rebecca Ayafa

– Ishaya John

– Audu Danladi

– Jibo Sule

– Yakubu Garba

– Williams Danbaba

UNGWAN SARKI

– Maikasa Kufana

– Augustine Bahago

UNGWAN MAIKORI

– Mamiya Maikori

Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i, on receiving reports of the attack, expressed deep sadness and prayed for the repose of the victims’ souls.

The governor also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.

After months of intense horse-trading among various power blocs within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, was Wednesday declared winner of the presidential primary of the party, Premium Times reports.

At the presidential primary concluded in Abuja Wednesday, Tinubu, who polled 1,271 votes, defeated 13 others in the race. His closest opponent was the former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who scored 316 votes.

Tinubu, while declaring his intention to run for the presidency of Nigeria in January, said it has always been his lifetime ambition.

He disclosed this at the State House shortly after visiting President Muhammadu Buhari. He was also the first of the aspirants to officially make public his intention to run.

Tinubu, whom seven of the aspirants stepped down for at the convention ground, was almost muscled out of the race by stiff opposition to his aspiration by other power blocs in the party.

An intra-party war between some politicians and businessmen close to Buhari, the so-called ‘Aso Rock cabal,’ and some northern governors over the control of Nigeria’s political lever had almost cost the party’s national leader his aspiration.

The faces behind the ‘cabal’ mask, represented by Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura, according to multiple sources, are men who exert a great influence on the president.

Tinubu’s ambition also received opposition from some of his erstwhile associates including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who polled 235 votes.

His recent outburst in Abeokuta, Ogun State, home state of Osinbajo, was also rumoured to have further widened the existing gap between him and the president.

Tinubu had publicly claimed to have helped to secure victory for the president, even as he boasted to have helped many political leaders in the country. He specifically mentioned Osinbajo and the governor of the state, Dapo Abiodun, insisting that he stood by the latter when he was rejected by the then outgoing governor of the state, Ibikunle Amosun.

Many criticised Tinubu for the outburst, and the president on Tuesday criticised the stance via a statement signed by his media aide, Garba Shehu.

Meanwhile, Tinubu’s aspiration received a boost with the support of some governors, particularly those from the northern part of the country, who insisted power must shift to the southern part of the country.

The northern governors’ position countered the position of the national chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, who announced to other members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) that President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, had been chosen by Buhari as the “consensus aspirant.”

Adamu said the decision was a product of wide consultation with relevant stakeholders including Buhari.

While majority of the northern governors wanted the presidency zoned to the south, the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, rejected the stance and insisted he would remain in the race.

But the withdrawal from the race by Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru, and the declaration of his support for Tinubu, further confirmed the northern governors’ commitment to the pledge.

Tinubu will now challenge candidates of other parties in next year’s presidential election. His opponents will include Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

Survivors of an attack by unknown assailants on a Catholic church in Nigeria lay weeping and writhing in pain at a local hospital on Monday after suffering what a doctor described as lacerations, bullet wounds and blast injuries.

At least 50 people including children were killed, according to media reports, during the attack on St Francis Catholic Church in the town of Owo, which took place during Sunday mass as worshippers were celebrating the Christian holiday of Pentecost.

Police, who have yet to release a death toll, said they had recovered unexploded improvised explosive devices and shells from AK-47 ammunition.

"Some of the gunmen disguised as congregants, while other armed men who had positioned themselves around the church premises from different directions, fired into the church," national police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said in a statement.

He said a vehicle used by the assailants to escape had been recovered. Its owner was helping with investigations.

According to the statement, "the assailants fled the scene using a Nissan Sunny car with Reg No. AKR 895 AG which was snatched from the owner, and escaped through Owo/Ute road. The vehicle has been recovered while the owner of the vehicle is currently assisting the Police in its investigations".

Inside the church, streaks of blood on the floors and walls, a broken lectern and pew, plaster debris and abandoned items including shoes and a well-thumbed Bible covered in shards of glass bore witness to the intensity of the violence.

"Immediately they entered and started firing everywhere, so many people," said Alex Michael, who was shot in the leg while protecting his children by hiding them under chairs. He appeared dazed as he sat on his hospital bed.

Other survivors had limbs wrapped in bloodstained bandages. One man writhed and moaned on his bed while a woman wept as she embraced her brother. A 15-year-old victim lay silently with a drip in his hand.

Samuel Aluko, a registrar at the hospital, said 27 adult victims were receiving treatment for a wide range of injuries, some life-threatening. One woman lost both legs.

Medical director Ahmed Lasu said 13 children had been rushed to the hospital. Two were dead on arrival.

Owo is located in Ondo State in Southwest Nigeria, a part of the country not prone to violent conflict over religion. Authorities have said nothing about the identity or motive of the attackers.

RISING VIOLENCE

Pope Francis and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari were among those who expressed horror at the attack.

Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Monday directed that flags in the state should be flown at half-mast for seven days.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu, the frontrunners in the ruling party's primaries to select its presidential candidate for next year, both visited the church.

Many shops in the town stayed closed. Security forces were on the streets and helicopters passed overhead.

Southwest Nigeria is home to the Yoruba ethnic group, who are divided roughly equally between Muslims and Christians. The two communities live side by side peacefully.

An Owo resident said some local people were blaming the church massacre on members of the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group, who are predominantly Muslim and live mostly in northern Nigeria, with communities in other regions.

Neither the police nor state authorities have blamed any group.

There have been an increasing number of outbreaks of violence in recent years between Fulani herdsmen seeking land for their cattle to graze on and farmers from other ethnic groups seeking to shield their lands.

In a separate incident, Catholic priest Father Christopher Itopa Onotu was abducted during the weekend from his rectory in the town of Obangende in Kogi State, which neighbours Ondo to the north, the Catholic diocese of Lokoja said.

PRESS RELEASE

My attention has just been drawn to the expensive joke purportedly enacted by the National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Adamu. The speculation is rife that the Chairman took a flight of fancy and decided to make a pronouncement beyond his competence. He has, allegedly, made public his preferred choice as the candidate of the APC for the Office of the President in the next general elections.

This alleged pronouncement runs contrary to the position of majority of Northern Governors in APC and their counterparts in the South. Our agreement is unanimous on this issue. The office of the President should be contested for by qualified persons from the Southern part of the country if the move to get a consensus candidate fails. There has been no shift from this settled issue.

Let it be known that the Chairman or anyone who holds a contrary opinion does so at a personal level. He is at best embarking on a frolic which reasonable people will consider dangerous.

We are grieving but have not forgotten that Power MUST shift to the south. On this we stand.

Signed:

Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,

Governor, Ondo State and Chairman, Southern Governors’ Forum

June 6, 2022.

The Presidency has dismissed the claim of Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), that he brought President Muhammadu Buhari into power.

While addressing APC delegates in Ogun State last week, Tinubu had boasted that without him, Buhari would have lost in 2015

“You have not heard this from me before. This is the first place I am saying this. If not me that led the war front, Buhari wouldn’t have emerged. He contested first, second and third times, but lost. He even said on television that he won’t contest again.”

“But I went to his home in Katsina. I told him you would contest and win, but you won’t joke with the matters of the Yorubas. Since he has emerged I have not been appointed minister. I didn’t get contract. This time, it’s Yoruba turn and in Yorubaland, it’s my turn,” he had said.

Following the heavy criticism that trailed his comments, Tinubu recanted and claimed he was quoted out of context.

But in a statement on Monday, Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said many people worked for the emergence of Buhari.

“It is perhaps not surprising that on the eve of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer primary there are those running as candidates who wish to associate themselves with the President’s rise to elected office seven years ago.”

“There are many people who played parts large and small in his historic election in 2015, making history as the first opposition candidate to defeat a sitting president with power changing hands peacefully at the ballot box.

“There are those who advised the President to run again; those who decided to build a political party – the APC – that could finally be the political vehicle capable of delivering victory where all other opposition parties and alliances before it had failed.

“Those decisions may have been agreed upon by a few. But they were delivered by thousands and voted for by tens of millions. No one can or should claim to have made this possible.

“Yet as important as that moment was, it is not what should decide the next general election. What matters is the future: the policy platforms, the ideas, the drive, and the determination to take over the President’s stewardship of our country and build upon his legacy to make our country better than it has ever been.

“The person most demonstrable in those qualities is the one to lead our party and our country forward.”

A closed-door meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) and governors who are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) kicked off in Abuja last night (Monday).

The meeting held at the APC National Secretariat at Wuse 2 area of the City Centre.

Reports gathered from sources at the party’s headquarters that the meeting is likely to take a final decision on who should be fielded as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 poll.

The party’s presidential primary is slated for Tuesday.

The APC had screened 23 aspirants to contest its ticket at the primary but two contestants – Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru and former Senate President, Ken Nnamani – have withdrawn from the race, leaving 21 others to slug it out.

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the party stakeholders and aspirants to think of consensus.

However, on Monday, there were reports that one of the aspirants had been endorsed as the choice of the president.

But Buhari later distanced himself from the report.

Security operatives on Monday night evicted journalists wearied from waiting endlessly for the presidential convention accreditation, out of the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja.

While urging the newsmen to hurry up with their belongings, the stern-looking security aides disclosed that they are acting on the order of the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

When asked to give a reason for the eviction, one of the operatives retorted that Adamu asked them to clear out the premises because he was planning to ‘host an important meeting and won’t like to see journalists hanging around when he returns.’

The incident, which happened at about 7.15 pm on Monday evening, almost resulted in a stampede as journalists were seen rushing to pack their laptops, tripods, cameras, and bags.

Earlier, Adamu had caused a stir when he announced at the meeting of the National Working Committee that the party has settled for Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, after due consultation with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Barely one hour after the NWC meeting ended, the report was subsequently debunked by the presidency, which disclosed that it was yet to agree on a particular aspirant.

The crack within the leadership of APC became noticeable when seven members of the same National Working Committee held a press conference and denied choosing the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan as its consensus candidate.

The National Organising Secretary of the APC, Suleman Argungu, has reiterated that the choice of Lawan was not the decision taken by the party as alleged.

“It’s not an issue that has been discussed on the floor of the NWC and we have just, and just recently about two days ago, the northern Governors meeting had a meeting that the leadership of this country, under the leadership under the All Progressive Congress should go to the south.

“And equally, the Southern governors also affirmed that. So we as members of the NWC are also with the governors on what they have said and some minutes ago the governors in the North have gone to the presidency and have just briefed the president that they are still on what they said with regards to the power shift to the south.

“It is information and all of us are entitled to our opinion, we are all democrats,” he said.

..Akeredolu condemns attack, promises to hunt down assailants

Suspected terrorists are said to have attacked St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Reports have it that a bomb could have been used in the attack looking at the high number of casualties recorded.

Emerging reports suggest that many worshippers have died and several others have been left injured following the explosion at the church which is situated close to the palace of the Olowo of Owo.

As at the time of filing this report, the authorities were yet to give a detailed statement regarding the development.

The police are expected to give a brief within the hour.

Meanwhile, Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has expressed deep sadness over what he calls an unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people of Owo, worshiping at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street.

In his reaction to the tragic incident, Governor Akeredolu said the vile and satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Owo Kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years.

“It is a black Sunday in Owo. Our hearts are heavy. Our peace and tranquility have been attacked by the enemies of the people. This is a personal loss, an attack on our dear state.

“I have spoken to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, who is presently on his way to Owo. Similarly, I have had to cut short my party’s national assignment in Abuja and visit Owo immediately.

“This is an unexpected development. I am shocked to say the least. Nevertheless, We shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay. We shall never bow to the machinations of heartless elements in our resolves to rid our state of criminals.

“I commiserate with my people in Owo, particularly families of the those who lost their lives to this ugly and unfortunate attack. I extend my condolences to Olowo of Owo, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye as well as the Catholic Church,” Akeredolu stated.

The governor urged the people to remain calm and vigilant. He warned them not take laws into their hands, adding that he has spoken to the heads of the security agencies in the State.

Akeredolu  further stated that he has equally been assured that security operatives would be deployed to monitor and restore normalcy to Owo kingdom.

A member of a vigilante group has been killed in the Lugbe area of Abuja for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad.

It was gathered that the mob killing occurred at the Timber market section of the Fruit Market in Federal Housing Estate, Lugbe.

Eyewitnesses said the victim, a Muslim, was known of the act of insulting the prophet and the latest was on midnight of Saturday.

But the mob action was said to have taken place around 1pm on Saturday after seeking refuge in the vigilante office in the market.

It was gathered that the local security outfit was outnumbered before he was killed in front of the office, thereafter, burnt.

“The guy is known as Small Hundaru, that was not his first time of insulting the prophet before the action was taken,” said Halilu, a trader at the market.

“He was caught after buying food in the market in the afternoon, because when the blasphemy occurred it was just few people who were there, then a stick was used to hit him in the head. Though he had a gun with him, it was retrieved before the beating.

“Thereafter, he was stoned before he ran to the office. His colleagues at the office were aware but they couldn’t shield him due to the number of people that chased him. After he was unconscious, petrol was poured over him and not to stoke any fear in the market, he was burnt in front of the office.”

The scorched tyres used in burning him could be seen at the scene while traders locked their shop in anticipation of any violence.

However, with the presence of policemen, the place was calm but three persons were said to have been allegedly shot by the policemen.