See how VIPs reacted as Tinubu's govt grounds 60 private jets

• The Federal Government, done the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has grounded 60 backstage jets crossed large airports owed to unpaid import duties, affecting influential owners
• Several pitchy owners, including apical banks and vigor companies, person begun lobbying the Presidency for the merchandise of their grounded jets, promising to settee outstanding duties
• NCS has confirmed enforcement of the grounding, with the anticipation of impermanent unsealing for prime jets to let owners to contiguous documents and settee dues, though nary waivers volition beryllium granted

FCT, Abuja - The Federal Government, done the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has grounded astir 60 backstage jets crossed large airports successful Nigeria arsenic portion of efforts to retrieve unpaid import duties.

The move, which is aimed astatine addressing billions of naira successful outstanding duties, has sparked wide interest among pitchy owners, galore of whom are influential individuals, including slope executives and multinational companies.

The NCS had earlier requested backstage pitchy owners to acquisition a verification workout to find immoderate defaulters successful the outgo of import duties.

The work has present taken enforcement action, grounding backstage and corporately-owned jets astatine airports, including Murtala Muhammed International Airport successful Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport successful Abuja.

Jet owners lobby the Presidency for intervention

In effect to the grounding, respective pitchy owners person begun lobbying the Presidency for the merchandise of their grounded aircraft.

Sources revealed that immoderate of the country’s apical banks, on with vigor companies, are negotiating with the NCS, with promises to settee their outstanding duties arsenic soon arsenic possible.

One large slope has committed to paying adjacent Tuesday, portion different is negotiating done an intermediary.

An vigor institution with 3 jets has besides assured the NCS that it volition wage its dues shortly.

Customs spokesperson confirms enforcement, urges compliance

Abdullahi Maiwada, the spokesperson for the NCS, confirmed that the enforcement had begun and emphasised that the jets would stay grounded until the owners comply with the outgo of the outstanding duties.

He explained, "Yes, enforcement has started.

The craft are grounded for the non-payment of customs duty, and arsenic soon arsenic they travel implicit to regularise their payment, they volition get it back."

Maiwada besides noted that the NCS had provided ample clip for backstage pitchy owners to settee their dues, but galore had failed to comply.

He stated,

“Now that we person grounded them, they volition person to comply. We are hopeful and we cognize that they volition comply.”

Rumours of impermanent unsealing of immoderate jets

In a further development, rumours person emerged that the NCS is considering temporarily unsealing immoderate of the grounded jets.

A papers from the NCS dated June 4, 2025, indicated that the "temporary unsealing" of the craft had been approved to let pitchy operators to contiguous applicable documentation and sermon the colony of outstanding duties and taxes.

However, it was clarified that this unsealing was not a waiver of immoderate obligations, and the craft would inactive request to conscionable each statutory requirements. The unsealing was reportedly constricted to a prime fewer of the grounded jets.

Experts measurement successful connected the situation

Aviation experts person called for a much nonrecreational and transparent attack to handling the situation.

Frank Oruye, a erstwhile lawman manager of engineering astatine Nigerian Airways, stressed the value of adhering to planetary champion practices and ensuring that some backstage pitchy owners and the NCS travel established procedures.

Oruye said,

"Investors and importers should beryllium acceptable to ft each section taxes and customs duties, and Customs should beryllium nonrecreational successful their dealings to guarantee a conducive aviation environment."

Security concerns raised implicit foreign-registered jets

Retired Group Captain John Ojikutu voiced concerns astir the information implications of allowing foreign-registered craft to run successful Nigeria without due clearance.

He highlighted that immoderate of the grounded jets were foreign-based, which helium sees arsenic a imaginable information risk.

Ojikutu questioned the relation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) successful allowing specified overseas craft to run without due regulatory oversight, stating,

"Why are foreign-registered craft flying successful the country? Who permitted them?"

He called connected the NCAA to guarantee due information clearances are successful spot for each craft operating successful Nigeria to safeguard the state from imaginable risks, particularly successful airy of the increasing information concerns linked to insurgency.

FG reintroduces $300 chopper landing interest 1 twelvemonth aft suspension

Previously, Legit.ng reported that 1 twelvemonth aft suspending the $300 chopper landing fee, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has reintroduced the levy.

The minister, however, said that further enactment would beryllium taken connected the contented aft owed consultation and the reappraisal committee's submission of its report.

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Source: Legit.ng