The minister of aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika has assured that the federal government will ensure unconditional release of two pilots of Caverton Helicopters who were arrested and detained by the Rivers State Government for alleged contravention of the lockdown order.
It would be recalled that the two pilots were arrested on Tuesday, April 7 after they flew a helicopter into Port Harcourt in the wake of the coronavirus disease lockdown.
They were subsequently arraigned before a magistrate’s court on a four-count charge of contravening the state government’s executive order on travel ban in the state and remanded until May 19.
But Sirika while responding to a question on the issue at yesterday’s briefing of the presidential task force on COVID-19 in Abuja stated that the pilots were on essential duty since flights to oil and gas zones in the country were exempted from the presidential address.
“The pilots were carrying out national assignment because the speech by the secretary to the government of the federation and the presidential address exempted oil and gas from the lockdown or shutdown in national interest.
“And these Caverton Helicopters’ pilots were flying into the military base on national assignment.
“Of course, I may not be learned but I am lettered and I understand, in this case, there is no conflict between the federal and state laws but I will not argue that on this platform. It is unnecessary.
“So, on whether the governor of Rivers State (Nyesom Wike) ought to know if the exempted Caverton flight would be landing in a military base in Port Harcourt belonging to the Nigerian Air Force, he did not need to know.
“That is answer number one. Answer number two, regarding the pilots, the pilots will soon be released, rescued and there will not be any conviction hanging on their necks.”
He also said the Nigeria Force officer who alerted the state government when the helicopter landed in Port Harcourt as well as the police officer(s) who arrested the pilots all acted in ignorance.
“Arising from the constitutional provision and the powers of Mr. President, the seriousness of this task force, the danger of COVID-19, the way we operate civil aviation and military aviation, that’s why I said the Air Force officer acted ignorantly to have called the governor when the chopper landed on his property.
“Also, the federal police who made the arrest within the premises of the military acted ignorantly as well. And I said they exhibited incompetence.
“This matter should not be over-flogged. The federal government is there for the 200 million people of Nigeria, regardless of whether you are from Rivers or Cross River, Kano or Kaduna,” he added.
