President Bola Tinubu this Monday afternoon (04.08pm) departed Abuja for Paris, using the new Airbus A330, which replaced the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700(BBJ) bought under the Presidency of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
A statement by the presidential adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga indicates that, the new plane, bought far below the market price, saves Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly.
The presidential adviser added that, the recommendation to replace the B737-700(BBJ) followed an investigative hearing by Nigeria's parliament that questioned the plane's safety record and cost efficiency, especially after it malfunctioned during a trip to Saudi Arabia.
The Nigerian Senate’s security and intelligence committee recommended replacing the ageing aircraft in the presidential fleet to reduce downtime and operational expenses.
It had earlier been reported that the presidential jet used by President Tinubu landed in Abuja at 08:30 pm Sunday after a nearly five-hour flight from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in France.
Tinubu’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, on Sunday, announced that the President will embark on his fourth trip to the European country on Monday, August 19, departing from Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Although the Presidency did not state the purpose and duration of Tinubu’s visit, it said, “The President will return to the country after his brief work stay in France.”
The modified jet is one of the three presidential aircraft recently seized by a French court in favour of a Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, over a dispute with the Ogun State Government.
However, on Friday, August 16, Zhongshan announced that it had decided to release one of the three presidential aircraft belonging to the Nigerian government, which had been clipped down in France.
The Chinese firm said it did so as a gesture of goodwill, referencing a scheduled meeting between President Tinubu and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.
Zhongshan said it realised the importance of the aircraft for this diplomatic engagement and, therefore, availed the equipment for use.
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