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Nigeria Air Would Serve as Relief and A Game-Changer To Nigerians – Garba Shehu
Nigeria Air would serve as relief and a game changer to Nigerians, this was a statement made on Wednesday by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media, and Publicity to President, Muhammadu Buhari.
While praising the Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika for his doggedness in ensuring the airline becomes a reality, Shehu said many Nigerians will benefit from the project.
He stated that: “The minister has been bashed unfairly all over the place. He has been doing this, all of the commitment to put this airline in place but simply obstacles have been put on his part every inch of the way, until just a week or two ago when the thing was cleared for its resumption,”.
“I don’t blame him. He wants to make history, the minister wants to push for a new airline. So, it is honourable that he wants to kickstart it Friday, which is 24 hours from now. It would be to the relief of Nigerians, certainly, it is something that is going to be a game-changer, especially for international travel.”
Mr Garba admitted that the project had been impeded by several challenges.
“The Nigerian process has been up for a very long time. In all eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari, there is no policy memo on anything that has done the zigzag that Nigerian Air has done,” the presidential aide said.
“At least seven times, it came before the Federal Executive Council before finally it was let go.
“Just when everything was set and for the airline to start, domestic Nigerian airline operators went to court and they got an injunction that says that Nigeria Air must not fly. This held up everything until barely a week or two ago.”
According to him, the collaboration with Ethiopian Airways is in the best interest of the country.
He said, “This is entirely different because past attempts have been made to use resources from the treasury to run a business.
“Government is simply a bad manager of businesses. We would continue to fail so long as these things are run by the government.
“This realization is simply the fact that the government of Nigeria would be a minority shareholder in this enterprise, it is going to be essentially business run and that would mean that it would succeed,” he said.
News
FG slams 8-count charges on Adeyemi over fake agency ” I’m not a criminal”, he defends
It was learned that the alleged ‘‘fake’’ Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was allocated N1.302 billion in the 2026 Budget of the Federal Government.
Photo: Gbajabiamila, and Adeyemi
The Federal Government has filed an 8-count charges against Adeniyi Adeyemi, convener of a purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, over the controversy trailing the agency.
Adeyemi, however, fought back claiming that he was given an appointment letter.
Adeyemi, during an appearance on Channels Television claimed that the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila gave him an appointment letter, insisting that he is not a criminal.
However, it was learned that the alleged ‘‘fake’’ Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was allocated N1.302 billion in the 2026 Budget of the Federal Government.
In a statement on Wednesday, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, said the charges were filed by the Police on November 27, 2025, against Adeyemi and two accomplices at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Onanuga said Adeyemi is expected to appear in court on July 27, 2026.
News
NDC calls for Gbajabiamila sack over fake agency scandal
The NDC has referenced Adeyemi’s allegations that he paid N600 million to secure his appointment, with N400 million allegedly paid through intermediaries linked to the Chief of Staff while an outstanding balance of N200 million reportedly contributed to the current dispute over the agency’s status.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the immediate removal of the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) agency involving one Prince Mathew Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the agency .
In a statement signed on Friday by NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the party urged President Tinubu to suspend the Chief of Staff to allow for what it described as a transparent and unbiased investigation into the allegations.
The NDC’s demand is sequel to claims made by Adeyemi, who identified himself as the Director-General of the alleged PFIPC, an agency the Presidency has maintained does not exist.
According to the party, the allegations raise serious concerns over transparency and accountability within the current administration. It questioned how the purported agency allegedly secured budgetary allocations in the 2026 Appropriation Act and reportedly operated domiciliary, Pounds Sterling and Treasury Single Account (TSA) accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria despite being disowned by the Presidency.
The party also queried claims that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation allegedly approved 314 staff positions for the agency, asking how such approvals could have been granted if the organisation was not officially recognised.
The NDC has referenced Adeyemi’s allegations that he paid N600 million to secure his appointment, with N400 million allegedly paid through intermediaries linked to the Chief of Staff while an outstanding balance of N200 million reportedly contributed to the current dispute over the agency’s status.
News
US ends military operations in Nigeria, withdraws 200 soldiers
Anderson emphasised that the specific mission that required the deployment of US troops has been completed, prompting the withdrawal of most personnel.
Photo: General Dagvin R.M. Anderson
The United States has withdrawn the majority of its military personnel deployed to Nigeria for a joint counterterrorism mission in the Lake Chad Basin, while maintaining intelligence sharing and other security cooperation with Nigerian authorities.
The United States deployed about 200 military personnel to Nigeria in February 2026 to assist with intelligence, surveillance and counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin as both countries expanded cooperation against ISIS and other extremist groups operating in the region.
Commander of US Air Forces in Africa, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, announced the development during a virtual press briefing on the outcome of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026.
He said the partnership between Washington and Abuja remained active, particularly in intelligence operations targeting the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh).
Anderson emphasised that the specific mission that required the deployment of US troops has been completed, prompting the withdrawal of most personnel.
However, he noted that the United States would continue providing intelligence assistance at the request of the Nigerian government.
FG slams 8-count charges on Adeyemi over fake agency ” I’m not a criminal”, he defends
NDC calls for Gbajabiamila sack over fake agency scandal
US ends military operations in Nigeria, withdraws 200 soldiers
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