Nigeria’s Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola,
on Tuesday said he has not travelled out of the federal capital city,
Abuja, since March 22 in a reaction to a raging controversy over
Nigerian musician, Naira Marley.
A statement by Hakeem Bello, Mr Fashola’s
media aide, described as ridiculous attempts to link the minister with a
non-compliant flight recently taken to Abuja for a concert by the
controversial singer, Naira Marley.
Mr Fashola is reacting to controversies generated against the backdrop of a performance by singer Naira Marley at a concert in Abuja amid moves by the government to control the spread of COVID-19.
On Tuesday, Mr Fashola,
the minister, said he has not travelled out of Abuja since March in a
bid to comply with the Nigerian government’s ban on inter-state travels.
“The attention of the Office of the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola
SAN, has been drawn to a letter signed by the Chairman/CEO of Executive
Jets Services Limited, Dr Sam Iwuajoku concerning a flight it operated
to Abuja last weekend,” Mr Bello said in the statement.
“For purposes of clarity and in order to set the records straight, the Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola
SAN, has not travelled out of Abuja since March 22, 2020, when he
returned there after an inspection tour of the Enugu-Port Harcourt
Expressway construction work and a visit to Lagos, before the lockdown.
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“The decision of the Hon. Minister not to travel was taken in strict
compliance with the Federal Government’s ban on inter-state travels as
part of efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is therefore ridiculous for Dr Iwuajoku to attempt to link the Hon. Minister with any non-compliant flight.”
Meanwhile, efforts to reach the controversial singer, Naira Marley, have proven abortive.
Messages sent to his known social media handles were not replied to on Tuesday.
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