Buhari Didn't Order Sale Of Any Presidential Jet - Garba Shehu

Contrary to reports that President Muhammadu

Buhari had ordered the immediate disposal of nine

of the 11 VIP transport aircraft in the

presidential fleet, the presidency on Friday denied

knowledge of any such directive.

THISDAY newspaper had quoted unnamed sources

as saying the president had directed the selling of

serviceable and unserviceable aircrafts to cut

maintenance costs in line with the government’s

policy to drastically reduce its annual expenditure.

Eight of the planes in the fleet, including Boeing

737, two Gulfstream 550 jets, Gulfstream V jet,

two Falcon 7X planes, the Hawker Siddeley aircraft

and Augusta Westland chopper, the report said,

are reserved strictly for the president’s

movement.

Other aircrafts, including two Falcon 900 planes,

the Dornier, the Cessna Citation, the Beechracft

King Air, and two AugustaWestland choppers, are

reserved for the airlifting of the Vice-President,

Senate President, Speaker of the House of

Representatives, Minister of Foreign Affairs, as

well as visiting African heads of states.

But speaking to PREMIUM TIMES Friday, the

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media

and Publicity, Garba Shehu, denied knowledge of

such directive.

“The story of the order for the sale of aircrafts

in the Presidential Fleet, about which so much

interest is being expressed, is not known to us,”

Mr. Shehu said.

Mr. Shehu said if anything like that was being

contemplated, the Presidency would issue a

statement through its official channels to announce

it.