The House of Representatives has sounded alarm bells regarding the state of the Presidential Air Fleet after President Bola Tinubu resorted to chartering a private aircraft for recent official trips to the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
Following a motion of urgent importance raised by lawmaker Ahmad Satomi, the House expressed apprehension over the security implications and the negative image it casts on the country internationally.
Reports emerged that a presidential jet encountered mechanical issues while the President was in the Netherlands in April, prompting the use of a private jet.
Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda suggested that public officials, including the President, flying commercial jets might not be an issue.
Although the motion was temporarily shelved, the relevant security committees were tasked with investigating the matter.
The condition of the Presidential Air Fleet has been under scrutiny lately. Last week, a malfunctioning presidential jet prevented Vice President Kashim Shettima from attending the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit.
In a similar incident last December, a presidential aircraft, Falcon 900B, was put up for sale, highlighting ongoing concerns about the air fleet’s reliability and maintenance.