The Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) has asked the Rivers State Government to pay the sum of $320,000 or N51.2million as fine for the 16 days it contravened aviation laws before its private jet could be released to them.
The seizing of the Bombardier jet on the 26th of April at the Akure Airport, Ondo State has been raising controversy as many have alleged political witch-hunt of the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi by the Presidency, which the aviation regulatory agencies, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and NAMA have denied.
For violating the airspace for 16 days, the Rivers State government would part with a $20,000 per day fine.
However, a source within the state government disclosed that the government was unaware of NAMA’s position about payment of fine.
He said, “We are not aware of any fine, neither has the state government been officially briefed. Whenever NAMA briefs us officially on the issue, we will know what to do.”
According to the sources, NAMA would not have grounded the plane if the pilot had signed the passenger manifest, stating that it was after the grounding of the plane by NAMA that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities (NCAA) noticed that the plane had registration issues, even as they noted that the grounded plane would be released by the agency as soon as the owner paid the fine.
However, the sources revealed that NAMA was only concerned with the violation of the airspace regulation, saying the payment of the fine would not stop the NCAA from carrying out its duties as regarding the grounded plane.