President Muhammadu Buhari.
A report monitored on Sahara Reporters by Newsone Nigeria, says President Muhammadu Buhari and the delegation that recently travelled with him to the United States escaped an air mishap after the presidential jet marked 5N-FGT suddenly developed a fault while they were returning to Nigeria.
This online news platform recalls that the Nigerian President travelled to New York for the 76th United Nations General Assembly on Sunday, September 19, 2021.
According to the report, the aircraft, a Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-700) developed a fault while President Buhari and his entourage were returning to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Saturday, September 25, adding that the aircraft left the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York at 12:08 pm, landed at Sable Island Airport around 5:24 pm and had a 3-hour stopover.
President Buhari returns from London April 16, 2021.
The report added that the Nigeria Air Force 1 then departed the airport for Santa Maria where it landed around 9:10 pm. From Santa Maria, it flew to Nigeria and landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Sunday, September 26 at 5:01 am.
Newsone understands that the report quoted sources to have said that the aircraft was subsequently moved to Euro Airport in Germany on September 29 and arrived at 4.15pm after leaving the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 9.48am, with the Nigerian government paying €5,000 (Euros) (N2,385,000 at official rate of N477 to €1) per night as parking fee.
The development according to the report, means by Thursday, October 28, the Muhammadu Buhari-led government has paid €145,000 (N69,165,000) as parking fee for the aircraft.
To avoid backlash, the registration of the 5N-FGT aircraft was done using AMACGND, the report by SaharaReporters added.
“The Presidential Boeing Business Jet registration number 5N-FGT developed a fault during his trip from New York. He travelled to Saudi Arabia with a smaller jet. A Falcon 7X jet with registration number 5N-FGV. No picture of his departure to Saudi Arabia was released to avoid the public knowing about the jet he travelled with,” a presidential source told SaharaReporters.
“The one that developed fault has been moved to EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, Germany for repairs since September. It is registered and operated under another name AMACGND. They intentionally hid it and parked it under another name because it cost €5,000 (Euros) for parking per night.”