TheCable

A federal high court in Lagos has ordered the federal government and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to maintain status quo over the proposed establishment of the national carrier, Nigeria Air.

The court gave its ruling on Thursday and equally adjourned proceedings on the matter till February 13, 2023.

Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, the judge, made the order pending the determination of the suit filed by the registered trustees of AON, Azman Air Services Limited, Air Peace Limited, Max Air Limited, United Nigeria Airline Company Limited, and Topbrass Aviation Limited.

The suit has Nigeria Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, and Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), as the first to fourth defendants.

“I’ve reviewed all the applications before me. In the circumstances, the proper thing to do is for the parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of this suit,” Lewis-Allagoa said.

The federal government had selected Ethiopian Airlines as the preferred bidder for Nigeria Air and said the national carrier would take-off by the end of the year.

However, AON kicked against the move, saying that Nigeria Air should be a “wholly Nigerian investment”.

On November 15, the court granted the airline operators an interim injunction which restrained the federal government from selling the shares of Nigeria Air to Ethiopian Airlines.

Meanwhile, prior to the latest ruling, Sirika had insisted that no rational court in the country can stop the take-off of Nigeria Air.