Anthony Iwuoma
War is brewing between the Federal Government and the Rivers State Government over the latter’s
arrest of pilots, working for Caverton Helicopters for flying into the state.
However, Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, faulted the action of Governor Wike, saying the pilots had approval of the Federal Government to fly.
The pilots had been were arrested for flying into the state in breach of the state government’s Coronavirus lockdown, which barred vehicles and flights from entering the state.
The pilots have since been ordered remanded in prison until by a magistrate court.
Management of Caverton, a logistics company, flayed the actions taken by the state and contended that it had approval of the aviation ministry to fly into the state.
In a new twist, however, Governor Wike on Wednesday ordered the company to leave the state.
But speaking at the Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja yesterday the aviation minister said civil aviation was on the exclusive list, adding that “no other person had the legal rights to legislate on civil aviation”.
“Civil aviation is on exclusive list item number three there. So no other person but the federal government has authority to legislated upon,” he said.
“The air force officer who jumped the Commander in Chief (President) also jumped the chief of defense staff, also jumped the chief of air staff and ignored him, to call a governor to come into the property of the federal government of Nigeria to make an arrest, exhibited dangerous ignorance and incompetence grossly.
“The police that followed the governor to go in there exhibited dangerous ignorance from our perspective in civil aviation.”
Speaking further, Sirika said: “Whether we have approval for the flight, yes we did and we did in national interest. All of these flights are for the purposes of improving the national revenue to which Rivers State is the greatest beneficiary.
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“Those flights by Caverton, Aero Contractor, Arik, Bristo were for national interest and improved national revenue. At a time where oil has gone below $30 per barrel and the cost of production is $30.
“In the wisdom of President Muhammadu Buhari, he thought that this be allowed so that the nation will not be crippled and national revenue will not be lost.
”It was against the background that we have the authority and being exclusively on the exclusive list and we have the powers in civil aviation, guided by the civil aviation act 2016 to approve such flights.
“Those flights were approved lawfully, legally and correct. So yes, we will do everything lawful, legal and reasonable to get those pilots back and operations will continue in the national interest.”
