Breaking: Court Annuls Sale of Nigeria Air to Ethiopian Airline

Wale Igbintade

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday declared null and void the sale of Nigeria Air to Ethiopian Airline.

The court ordered that the proposed establishment of a national carrier – Nigeria Air, by the Federal Government, should not be carried out.

The judge made the order while granting the reliefs sought by the Registered Trustees of the Airline Operators of Nigeria and five others in the aviation industry.

The judge held that all the reliefs sought were granted except for relief number eight asking for damages of N2billion.

The plaintiffs in the suit are the Registered Trustees of the Airline Operators and five others.

The five other plaintiffs are Azman Air Services Limited, Air Peace Limited, Max Air Limited, United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited and Topbrass Aviation Limited, who were the first to sixth plaintiffs.

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

The plaintiffs had filed the suit asking the court to make an order setting aside the entire bidding/selection process(es) for the “Nigeria Air” project as well as the approval, grant or selection of the 2nd defendant by the 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants in the process.

Details shortly.