Paul Ibe, a media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has questioned Nigeria’s presidential air fleet management under President Bola Tinubu.

In a post on his official X account on Sunday, Ibe detailed the presidency’s purchase of a used Airbus A330 (5N-FGA) for $100 million in 2024 to replace the aging Boeing 737 (5N-FGT).

He also asked questions about unexplained shifts to a Luxaviation-chartered Boeing 737 (T7-NAS) and the old 737’s recent reregistration to T7-ZMK, suggesting an opaque potential sale.

“For a change, fellow concerned Nigerians, let’s talk about the presidential airfleet and interrogate what appears to be some unsettling issues around it. A Boeing Business Jet 737-700, 737-7N6/BBJ (5N-FGT, serial number 34260/1746) previously designated NAF-001 and registered 5N-FGT, airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane…, served as Nigeria’s primary presidential aircraft from 2005 until its replacement in 2024 when President Tinubu arrived in The Hague on April 23 for a series of economic and diplomatic engagements at the instance of Prime Minister Mark Rutt,” he said.

“Shortly before President Tinubu was scheduled to depart the Netherlands to Saudi Arabia for a special session of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, it was reported that his plane had suffered unspecified problems. Some of the technical complications included an oxygen leak. This allegedly forced the president and his delegation to leave behind the Nigerian government aircraft and use a private charter jet to facilitate their onward journey. Tinubu and some of his personal aides left Rotterdam on a Falcon 8X 9H-GRC private jet.

“Few weeks later, an Airbus A330-243 (5N-FGA, serial number 1053) 5N FGA business jet was acquired at a great cost to Nigerian tax payers to “upgrade government transport.” President Bola Tinubu flew from Abuja to Nice on 19 August on board the aircraft. The A330 – a Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered airframe, registered 5N-FGA – was originally delivered in 2009 to Saudi Arabian company Mid East Jet. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to Tinubu on Communication said the A330, which was acquired “far below the market price”, features modern avionics and communications systems and will save on maintenance and fuel costs. The Airbus A330-243 was acquired after being previously owned by a German bank and an Arab prince. The jet is configured with a special cabin that includes a bedroom, office, and dining room and was delivered after undergoing a repaint and cabin outfitting.

“However, after a couple of weeks, the Airbus was ditched under the guise of the aircraft being refurbished in favour of a foreign crewed chartered BOEING 737 NG/MAX – MSN 42510 T7-NAS Serial number 42510. Which is a 12.3 years old aircraft owned by Luxaviation.

“But here is where it gets curiouser and curiouser. Months later the first 737 5N FGT was fixed and put back to secret use while it was reported to be put up for sale , and the Airbus 5N FGA was returned back to Nigeria with a new green and white colour scheme. Pesident Tinubu was still flying his San Marino registered chartered 737 T7 NAS owned by Luxaviation even as Nigeria was now saddled with the cost of running three big presidential aircrafts in addition to other aircraft in the PAF which include the following: Gulfstream G550 (5N-FGW); Gulfstream G500; Gulfstream V-SP (5N-FGS); Bombardier Challenger 605 (5N-FGZ); Dassault Falcon 7X (5N-FGV and 5N-FGU); AgustaWestland AW139 (2 units) and AgustaWestland AW189 (2 units).

“Using a chartered aircraft for presential transport has significant implications for national security, integrity, and public perception. Official presidential aircraft are equipped with advanced security and communication features that chartered planes lack, creating potential vulnerabilities for the president and key personnel. Relying on chartered planes could expose sensitive information about the president’s movements, activities, and communications. The potential for espionage or interception of critical state data is a significant concern. Unlike the presidential aircraft, the chartered aircraft cannot serve as a mobile command center, ensuring continuity of government in emergency situation. Moreover, an official presidential aircraft symbolizes national pride, sovereignty, and the seriousness of the office. Using a chartered plane can send a negative message to citizens and the international community about the country’s stability and the integrity of the presidency.”

Ibe questioned: “At what cost is Nigeria chartering this aircraft? No one knows for sure because of the opaque circumstances surrounding the transaction.

“Now do you remember the 737 BBJ with Reg 5N-FGT? Updated information available indicates that the same former Presidential Boeing 737 BBJ has been silently reregistered in San Marino as T7-ZMK. The Tinubu government needs to inform Nigerians if it was sold. If yes, to whom and for how much? With the level of sleaze in the country presently, Nigerians need to be better informed about the transfer or sales of our assets.”

Verified incidents include the 5N-FGT’s April 2024 oxygen leak in the Netherlands, prompting a Falcon 8X charter to Saudi Arabia, and the A330’s brief use before favoring the T7-NAS charter, amid N26.38 billion in fleet maintenance costs from July 2023 to January 2025, fueling public outrage over spending during economic hardship.

Security risks from charters lacking presidential-grade communications and command features are substantiated by aviation experts, while the fleet’s expansion to 11 aircraft underscores transparency gaps, as no official disclosure exists on the T7-ZMK transfer or charter expenses, amplifying calls for accountability from critics like the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi.