The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have urged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to not issue an Air Operators’ Certificate (AOC) to Nigeria Air.

The airline operators, through their lawyer, Nureini Jimoh Chambers, warned Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, to desist from dealing with the Minister of Aviation/Federal Ministry of Aviation or its agents, privies or representatives, pertaining to the issuance the AOC for the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air.

The letter titled ‘Notification of Court Orders’, signed by Abubakar Ahmad, said it was putting NCAA on notice because the subject matter is an ongoing suit.

According to him, not issuing a flight certificate to Nigeria Air would save the NCAA from avoidable consequences and disobedience to court orders.

The letter reads: “As a law abiding regulatory agency, you are under the watchful eyes of the world, and it is in your interest to desist from any further action on the AOC process that will ridicule the integrity of the agency.”

Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos, on November 24, 2022, granted orders of interim and interlocutory injunctions restraining the Federal Government and its agents, and Nigeria Air Limited, from taking any action in relation to the proposed national carrier project.

The suit had registered trustees of AON – Azman Air Services Limited, Air Peace Limited, MAX Air Limited, United Nigeria Airlines Company and Tobrass Aviation Limited – as plaintiffs.

The defendants are Nigeria Air Limited, Ethiopian Airlines, Senator Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation, Federal Ministry of Aviation and Attorney-General of the Federation.

The parties were ordered to maintain status quo in the action and the court adjourned till February 13, 2023.

Meanwhile, the management of Ethiopian Airlines has remained silent about the whole development despite emerging winners of the bidding process last year. The airline is focused on other regions in Africa, Asia, among others, on expansion of its connectivity and frequencies to remain the leading carrier in Africa. (The Nation)

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