The Federal Government, yesterday, vowed to descend heavily on foreign airlines selling tickets to Nigerians in dollars, saying such action was a violation of Nigerian laws.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this to State House Correspondents after the week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The minister said findings at government disposal revealed that some of airlines are refusing the naira and were instead charging ticket fares in dollars. He also alleged some other airlines have blocked local travel agencies from accessing their websites for ticketing transactions, choosing to release tickets to passengers at exorbitant rates.
He warned that no violator, no matter how highly placed, would be spared if caught breaching the order as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had been mandated to clampdown on airlines violating the rights of Nigerians.
“I want to use this opportunity to say that reports are reaching us that some of the airlines are refusing to sell tickets in naira. That is a violation of our of local laws, they will not be allowed. The high and the mighty amongst them will be sanctioned, if they’re caught doing that.
