President Muhammadu Buhari,the President of the Fedeal Republic of Nigeria has ordered the sale of two presidential aircraft, a Falcon 7x executive jet and Hawker 4000.
It is not clear whether the economic recession in the country may have informed the decision to sell both aircraft but a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, indicated that the sale of the aircraft was to reduce waste.
A national daily was purported to have ran an advertorial on the sale of the aircraft, prompting speculations as to the authenticity of the sale.
But Shehu disclosed to State House correspondents in a terse statement that the information was true.
According to the presidency, “The newspaper advertisements for the sale of two presidential aircraft, a Falcon 7x executive jet and Hawker 4000 were duly authorised by the president.
“This is in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari that aircraft in the presidential air fleet be reduced to cut down on waste.
“When he campaigned to be president, the then All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Muhammadu Buhari, if you recall, promised to look at the presidential air fleet with a view to cutting down on waste.
“His directive to a government committee on this assignment is that he liked to see a compact and reliable aircraft for the safe airlift of the president, the vice president and other government officials that go on special missions.
“This exercise is by no means complete. I am sure the commander of the presidential air fleet will any time from now call you to a ceremony at which he will hand over some other aircraft to the Air Force for their operations”.
According to a source at the presidency, the presidential air fleet comprises of 10 aircraft. These are Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-800 or Air Force One); one Gulfstream 550, one Gulfstream V (Gulfstream 500), two Falcons 7x, one Hawker Sidley 4000, two Agusta Westland AW 139 helicopters and two Agusta Westland AW 101 helicopters.
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