Tinubu Jets Off to France—First Flight on New Presidential Aircraft

President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja, the nation’s capital, on Monday, August 19, for a trip to Paris, France.

 

The president’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement on Sunday night said the President will return to the country after his brief work stay in France.

 

The President will travel on the newly acquired luxury Airbus A330 aircraft, which landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at 8.29 pm on Sunday.

 

The aircraft was received by officials of Nigeria’s Presidential Air Fleet, led by their commander, Olayinka Olusola, an air vice marshal.

 

According to the news outlet, the Airbus 330 aircraft is a repossessed one recovered from an indebted oil sheikh who used the aeroplane as collateral for a loan he obtained from an unidentified German bank to buy it.

 

L & L International LLC, an American aviation firm based in Miami, Florida, brokered the deal, which saw Nigeria buy the aircraft for over $100 million. A presidency official described the acquisition as an excellent deal for Nigeria, putting the aircraft’s real market value in the region of $600 million.

 

The multi-engine prestige jet, which has an elaborate VIP configuration, is now Nigeria’s Airforce One, with registration number 5N-NGA.