C’ttee officials recommend purchasing a new plane for Tinubu in Shettima

Announcement

The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has urged the federal government to purchase new presidential planes for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The commission’s recommendation was included in a report issued after an investigation into the status of the aircraft in the presidential fleet.

“The Commission is firm and mindful of the view that, given the fragile structure of the Nigerian federation and recognizing the dire consequences of any foreseeable or unforeseen calamity that may arise as a result of technical or operational deficiencies in the Presidential Air Fleet, it is in the best interest of the country to purchase, as recommended by the two additional aircraft.

“It will also prove most cost-effective in the long run, apart from the added benefit of providing an appropriate, convenient and safe carrier befitting the status and responsibilities of the offices of the President and Vice-President of the Federal Office for the Republic of Nigeria,” the report said.

In May, the House ordered the committee to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the planes in the presidential fleet to check their airworthiness and technical condition.

This decision followed a withdrawn application made by the Hon. Satomi Ahmed (APC, Borno), Chairperson of the National Security and Intelligence Committee.

Some lawmakers suggested the president should travel by commercial plane or by land during the heated debate.

Ahmed’s request comes after reports of faulty planes in the presidential air fleet, forcing the president to use a chartered plane from the Netherlands to Saudi Arabia during his recent trip abroad.

Shettima also canceled his trip to the United States due to a plane malfunction when he was scheduled to represent Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Satomi said the commission would establish a technical committee that would contact presidential air fleet officials and adopt a resolution.

As it learned after contacting officials of the presidential air fleet, the subcommittee recommended the purchase of new planes for Tinubu and Shettima, which the committee accepted.

According to the report, the presidential fleet consists of six planes and six helicopters.

The aircraft include one Boeing 737 (19 years old, currently out of service and undergoing maintenance); one Gulfstream G550 (13 years old, in good condition), one Gulfstream GV (23 years old, inoperable); two Falcon 7X (one operational, the other disabled); and one Challenger CL605 (12 years old, operational).

The helicopter fleet consists of two Agust 139s (17 and 18 years old, both out of service) and four Agust 189s, there is no information about their condition.