The House of Representatives, on Tuesday directed aviation authorities to submit a comprehensive list of all private jets in Nigeria.
The order which has a 48-hour deadline was issued at a hearing on the controversial grounding of a Rivers State-owned aircraft.
House Joint Committee on Justice and Aviation, requested that the list must contain identification of all private jets in the country, including names of owners, agents, expiration dates of clearances and licences and other vital information.
“Let us have a register of titles of all registered private aircraft in Nigeria, including those on ad-hoc basis. If anyone is confidential, indicate so,” the Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, Ali Ahmad, said.
The order came after the lawmakers listened to federal government officials, including the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, and Rivers State officials, led by the Secretary to the State Government, George Feyii.
The government maintained its stand that the Rivers State government had not established its ownership of the aircraft, as the plane was registered in the name of a U.S. bank.
On its part, Caverton Helicopters countered Rivers State’s claim that it was in charge of the aircraft, requesting and securing necessary clearances.
Caverton however agdmitted it was in partnership with the state initially, but said the cooperation ended since August 2012.
Rivers State has claimed the purchase and operational plan agreement it entered into with the Utah bank and Caverton, which the government has cited as reason for banning the plane, was common with other owners of private jets in the country.
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