FG Suspends Emirate Airline From Nigeria

The Federal Government of Nigeria has suspended Emirate flights out of the country for 72 hours.

This was contained in a circular issued by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Thursday.

The circular stated that the suspension was due to the violation of guidelines placed by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

Signed by NCAA director-general, Musa Nuru, the circular revealed that the airline has been airlifting passengers from Nigeria, using rapid antigen tests conducted by laboratories that were not endorsed by regulatory authorities.

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The circular read in part, “Based on the foregoing and to enable the Nigerian government to put in place the needed infrastructure and logistics for COVID-19 RDT testing for departing passengers, the PTF has directed that Emirates Airlines should either accept passengers without RDT pending when the infrastructure and logistics are put in place or suspend its flights to and from Nigeria until such a time when the required infrastructure and logistics are fully established and implemented.

“Emirates Airlines has not been in compliance with the two options given by the PTF as records obtained from Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) indicates that Emirates Airlines operated the flights from both Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.”

The NCAA added that additional sanctions would be imposed on Emirate Airlines for the violations of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and the COVID-19 protocols.

It also stated that the airline will be informed as to when it will resume operations.