CBN Reacts To Alleged Flight Violation By Its Governor, Godwin Emefiele

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has responded to allegations made against the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele. Recall that the governor was recently accused of violating President Muhammadu Buhari's flight ban after secretly flying out his wife and children out of Nigeria on a trip cost N3.8 million per hour.

It had been reported that Emefiele's wife, Margaret Emefiele and his sons – Godwin Pammichukwu Jnr. and Andrew Olisehike Emefiele, all travelled from Nigeria on Monday, June 1, 2020 at about 8pm (Nigerian time) and arrived in the UK at 2:37am, despite flight ban which allows only essential flight out and into Nigeria.

His family had left Nigeria on Executive Jets' Global Express Bombardier 550 luxury jet with registration number N104DA. AllNews learnt that to book the Executive Jet per hour, it costs at least $10,000, that's about N3.8 million - and flight from Nigeria to the UK is over 6 hours. The purpose of the flight was not stated, but neither was it an emergency or essential flight which is only allowed after all commercial and private flights were stopped in March.

What CBN Said About Allegation

While reacting to the accusation, the CBN director of the corporate communications, Isaac Okorafor, said it's a plot from persons with sinister agenda. He said the plan was to discredit the CBN and its top officials through deliberate misinformation and lies.

Okorafor said the CBN won't be distracted from its mandate to increase the external reserves in order to safeguard the international value of the naira, "(CBN has) uncovered sinister plans by some persons to discredit the institution through deliberate misinformation, complete fabrications and outright lies”.

While stating that CBN won't be distracted from protecting the economy amidst the COVID-19 and impending recession, Okorafor said those misinforming Nigerians in order to rubbish the image of the CBN, have vested interest in the economy and its socio-political landscape.

He said CBN remains transparent, and rather than operate for the “selfish interest of a few”, the Apex bank will work in the interest of majority of Nigerians."

Executive Jets Has A Knack For Violation

Executive Jets has been involved in flight that violates the non-essential flight ban. Executive Jets was the same airline used by popular Nigerian singer, Naira Marley, from Lagos to a show at Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja. The show was heavily criticised, with the Federal Government stating that actions will be taken against those who violated the lockdown rules.

The Chairman/CEO of Executive Jet Services, Sam Iwuajoku in an apology letter to the Minister of Aviation, stated that the airline thought Naira Marley was Babatunde Fashola, the current Minister of Works and Housing, as the passenger manifest carried the name Fashola Babatunde. Naira Marley said the name was that of his brother.

Now, the Executive Jets - which is owned by billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote - is involved in another violation flight. While other private and commercial airline companies have been grounded by the lockdown rules, Executive Jets have been operating freely.