This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
On May 17, 2020, Nigeria's aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, announced that a British plane had been impounded for breaking the country's coronavirus flight ban.
The ban, which was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, prohibits passenger flights into the country, with the exception of those for evacuating people or repatriating Nigerian citizens. The ban is set to remain in place until at least June 4.
However, flights for essential services, such as delivering food supplies and humanitarian items, are permitted. According to Sirika, a UK company had been given approval for humanitarian operations but was caught conducting commercial flights.
As a result, the plane was impounded, and the crew was being interrogated. Sirika warned that there would be a maximum penalty for the violation.
FlairJet, the British private charter company operating the plane, stated that the situation was evolving and that they were working with the Nigerian authorities to resolve the matter.
