SAN FRANCISCO, June 16, (THEWILL) – Executive Jets Services Limited, an aviation company, has tendered an apology for flying Naira Marley, a singer, to Abuja for a concert.
In a letter written by the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Sam Iwuajoku, the company said it granted approval for the flight service that conveyed Azeez Fashola (Naira Marley) to Abuja after it saw a name, ‘Babatunde Fashola’ on the request letter.
Iwuajoku apologized and explained how they mistook the identity of the person behind the name for the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola saying they didn’t know the people involved were “a bunch of useless people.”
THEWILL recalls that Hadi Sirika, Minister for Aviation, had said the Executive Jets flight that conveyed Naira Marley for the concert was approved for a different purpose as he announced that the flight company had been suspended indefinitely, adding that the flight captain would be sanctioned for providing false information.
In the letter addressed to Sirika, the company admitted that the flight was approved to convey a judge to Abuja but said the intended passenger had found his way to Abuja with the help of another flight.
“We hereby apologize for the above flight, with your permit ref: PMA/ATMD/0175/V/V/1268 dated 11th June, 2020,” the letter read.
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“Please the flight was to carry a Judge to Abuja on Sunday 14th, 2020 as requested and permit was granted based on the application, but unfortunately when I called the Judge on Saturday morning to inform him that we have the permit, he then said that he has reached Abuja already with a different flight that someone gave him a lift to Abuja.
“So on Saturday morning 13th June, 2020 my staff called me that they have a charter flight to Abuja and that the passengers are already in the lounge as a rule passenger manifest is always sent to me before any departure.
“When I went through the manifest and I saw FASHOLA BABATUNDE I thought it was the Honorable Minister of Works going to Abuja with his men, so we decided to do the flight since he is a serving minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I didn’t know that it was a bunch of useless people.
“We are very sorry for this mistake and we promise that this would not happen again.”
Name used by Naira Marley’s team, “Babatunde Fashola” may be intentional as his younger brother bears exactly the same name as that of the former Governor of Lagos State.
Naira Marley was also listed by his lesser known name, “Adeshina Fashola”.
Those on the flight to Abuja were Chinonso Opara, Adeyeye Tobi, Afiare Israel, Michael Opeyemi, Idowu Emmanuel, Seyi Awonuga, Wisdom Intoto, Abayomi Akin and Babatunde Fashola.
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