The Federal Government on Friday 7th of June grounded a helicopter chartered by Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, at the Benin Airport, 42 days after a similar fate was visited on his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi.
Amaechi’s Bombadier BD70 jet was grounded at Akure Airport in Ondo State on April 26 by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority after he had attended the burial of the former deputy governor of Ekiti State, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka, in Ado Ekiti.
Oshiomhole and some aides were on their way from Government House, Benin to Awka, Anambra State in the chartered OAS helicopter marked 5N-BPX AS335 for the burial of Mrs. Collette Obi, the wife of the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi when the aircraft was recalled to Benin Airport.
When the Filipino pilot, Capt. James Manahash, received the signal from the airport’s control tower, he immediately altered course and headed to the airport. He disembarked and went to enquire why he was recalled.
He was told that he did not pay aerodrome and landing fees and that he did not also file a passengers’ manifest.
The pilot was, however, told that he would not be allowed to fly the helicopter for reasons which were not stated to him.
Not even the intervention of the governor, who was forced to disembark after sitting in the aircraft for one hour, could make the airport staff to allow the aircraft to continue with the journey.
When it became obvious that he would not be allowed to fly, Oshiomhole and his aides cancelled the journey and called up the governor’s convoy.
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