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Just yesterday, a photo of the presidential jet parked at the airport in the UK surfaced online and this have cause chaos among social media users
Today, the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity released a statement, Shehu Garba explained that the jet is being kept in the UK for reasons of National security. Read the statement below…
The Presidency is constrained to decry criticisms, mostly on social media, on the retention in London of the Presidential Aircraft, NAF 001 as mostly informed lack of understanding of protocol around foreign trips Heads of State all over the world. It is important to state that for reasons of protocol, national security, diplomacy and prestige, there is no world leader who travels abroad andis left without plans for immediate return or possible evacuation. From operational point of view, this country’s Armed Forces as represented the Nigeria Air Force are not to abandon their Commander-In-Chief in whichever circumstance he is. This is a standard operating procedure. We have also read claims about outrageous fees allegedly paid Nigeria. The published amounts are totally untrue. Aircraft conveying heads of state all over the world usually enjoy waivers even where payments for parking are differentiated aircraft categories. We been assured that where the waiver is not granted, payment will not exceed £1,000, which is a quarter of the amount being peddled. For the avoidance of doubt, this President is not the first to have a presidential aircraft standing for him, as he will certainly not be the last. All past Heads of this country have had this privilege, and the part that surprises the most is that leaders who in the past travelled with three Nigerian aircraft did not suffer this trenchant criticism. We appeal to Nigerians to ignore opposition campaign aimed at derailing this administration’s big plans for the country. This is a government that is constructing the Second Niger Bridge, the Mambila Power Plant, the East-West and the North-South standard gauge railway lines. We are a government that has saved this country an annual loss of two trillion Naira from fraudulent petroleum subsidy schemes influential citizens and their children, and rid the public service of about 50,000 ghost workers. The Buhari administration certainly deserves a chance.