The Federal Government on Tuesday said it had denied five governors flight approvals as a result of the lockdown order.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said this in Abuja at the daily briefing by ministers on updates on COVID-19.
He said, “There is no exception to governors. I have denied several of such flights. Including two governors from the South-South, two from the South-East and by the way, three of them are members of the All Progressives Congress. I think one is from North-Central.
“For a flight to be approved, it shows that it is diligently done. It must be essential, COVID-19 related or other essential flights like cargo that will bring in medicines or equipment or other things related to COVID-19 or our whole wellbeing like food.”
He explained that virtually all flights recently sighted across the country’s airspace were on essential duties.
“Also, some of them could be evacuation flights and those on diplomatic purposes.”