The Federal Government of Nigeria has banned the use of Boeing 737 Max 8 by any airline operator in Nigeria. This is coming after the same model led to the death of 157 people aboard an Ethiopian airline flight headed to Nairobi, few minutes after take-off.
The Minister of State Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the disclosed this to journalists after the Federal Executive Committee (FEC) meeting which held on Wednesday. He stated that such plane would not be allowed into Nigeria until the cause of the plane crash is determined
Speaking to state house correspondents, the minister said, “Regarding Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 9 that has been in the news recently, there is no cause for alarm as there is no operator in Nigeria that is using that type of airplane.
“The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, whose mandate it is to issue advisory, has already issued advisory that nobody should fly into Nigeria or out of Nigeria using Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 9, pending the determination of the actual cause of the crash in Ethiopia and also pending the outcome of the response of the manufacturer, which is Messers Boeing.
“Regardless of the enormous safety records of this plane 737, it has caused concern in the world of aviation and you know aviation is universal; whatever affects one affects the other because aircraft will be flying in and out. So, we have issued directive that no operator with Boeing 737 Max 8 or Max 9 should operate into and outside our airports and this is being carried out.”
