The Federal Government has refuted reports claiming that a Nigerian-registered aircraft was sold to an Iranian airline.
In a statement on TVC News, Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), clarified that no such sale has taken place. He dismissed the allegations that an aircraft was smuggled out of Nigeria and sold to Iran without proper documentation.
Achimugu explained that there are clear procedures for selling aircraft, which include the necessary step of deregistering the aircraft in Nigeria before it can be transferred to another country. He emphasized that investigations are currently underway to determine the facts surrounding the claims.
A key part of the investigation focuses on the alleged deactivation of transponders on some aircraft involved. The NCAA has also reached out to the Civil Aviation Authority of Iran for further clarification, as the alleged transaction took place outside Nigeria’s jurisdiction.
