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Niger Airspace Closure: Fear of fare hike rises as Europe-bound flights divert

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The closure of the Nigerien airspace by coupists in the country over the weekend has taken its toll on flight operations as Europe-bound flights out of Nigeria are being rerouted.

Players in the aviation industry have differed on the implications of the recent development, with some saying there is the likelihood of a further increase in the cost of flight tickets ostensibly to cover the extra time spent while avoiding the airspace.

Others say there are many factors that must come to play to warrant fares in increase.

They also noted that domestic airlines would most likely be affected by the recent development as inbound passengers from other countries heavily support the solvency of local traffic.

The closure of the Niger airspace was coming exactly three months after Sudan also closed its airspace due to war, which affected Saudi Arabia-bound flights during the just concluded Hajj exercise as airlines had to reroute, spending additional two hours to get to Saudi Arabia.

With the Sudanese airspace yet to be opened, the Niger airspace was shut by the coup leaders on Sunday, the eve of the deadline given by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for them to release the detained democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

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However, the threat of military intervention by the neighbouring countries triggered the announcement of airspace shutdown by Niger, a move that is now hurting aircraft movements in the West African and Southern African regions.

A spokesperson for the now-ruling National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), Amadou Abdramane, in a statement read out on national television said there had been a pre-deployment of forces in two central African countries in preparation for intervention, but did not give details.

“In the face of the threat of intervention, which is becoming clearer through the preparation of neighbouring countries, Niger’s airspace is closed from this day (Sunday) for all aircraft until further notice.

“Niger’s armed forces and all our defence and security forces, backed by the unfailing support of our people, are ready to defend the integrity of our territory,” the statement said.

Nigeria, others ‘trapped’

Following the development, which took effect by 11:22 pm on Sunday, Europe-bound flights from Nigeria are bypassing the Nigerien airspace, spending at least an additional one hour of flight time amidst fear of skyrocketing fares.

Daily Trust reports that flights to London, Spain, Ireland, France and several European countries are usually routed through the Nigerien airspace via Niamey, the capital of Niger to Algeria.

It was learnt that British Airways rerouted most of its flights yesterday, spending additional hours.

Aviation experts said avoidance of Niger airspace by Europe-bound flights would mean an extra cost for airlines but might not significantly affect the air fares.

For instance, our correspondent checks on the British Airways booking portal showed that no adjustment has been made on ticket prices.

Lagos-London one-way ticket costs N5.6m

But a one-way Lagos-London ticket on Virgin Atlantic for a Thursday trip cost as much as $7,578 or N5.9m while for British Airways, it was $2,698 while Air France quoted $2,984.

But the President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye said the air fares have not increased as a result of the Niger crisis.

She assured that the situation would not lead to an increase in fares since aircraft were only flying to other countries.

Akporiaye said, “We are not seeing any way it would affect the flights for now because the flights are just passing over. The only thing I am seeing is airlines are going to go back to the aerospace regulators that assign and approve the routes. That is what is going to happen but I don’t see it affecting any cost.”

Capt. Samuel Caulcrick, aviation analyst said airlines have the option of going through Chad to Tripoli before approaching Algeria.

“Since Mali and Burkina Faso are with them, that means you have to go all the way to Dakar before going up again. You can’t go to Sudan because there is war. It takes more time, more fuel burn.

If you have to go through Dakar towards Guinea Bissau before going up again, you have to enter Senegal, from Senegal to Morocco that could take another one hour. Normally it takes us three hours to cross the desert, now it will take us four hours.”

Air France suspends flights to Burkina Faso, Mali

Meanwhile, Air France has suspended flights to and from Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso and Bamako in Mali until Aug. 11, following the closure of Niger’s airspace with longer flight times expected in the West African region.

“With Niger’s airspace now off limits as well, airlines flying between Europe and southern Africa will need to reroute and add 1000 or more extra kilometres to their flights, increasing the amount of fuel each flight will need and the flight time.”

Reuters quoted an Air France spokesperson as saying that the airline expected longer flight times from sub-Saharan hub airports.

The spokesperson hinted that flight times could be from an hour and a half to three and a half hours longer for rerouted flights which could include a fuel stop.

Meanwhile, the ECOWAS has scheduled yet another meeting on the Niger crisis.

The regional body had met in Abuja in August and issued a 7-day deadline for the Niger junta to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum or risk sanctions, including possible military intervention.

But rather than reinstate Bazoum, the junta had severed ties with Nigeria and some other countries sympathetic to Bazoum’s cause.

The military regime, which declared their Commander General, Abdourahamane Tchiani the new Head of State, vowed not to bow to outside pressure.

It also warned against foreign intervention, vowing to defend the territorial integrity of Niger.

On Friday, military chiefs of some West African countries said they had agreed on a plan for possible military intervention in the event push for a diplomatic solution failed.

The chiefs of defence staff from Togo, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Cote D’ivoire, Cabo Verde and the Republic of Benin held the meeting in Abuja.

ECOWAS had last week sent a high-powered delegation to broker peace with the coupists but only their representatives met with the team led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd). (Daily Trust)

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Group asks court to disqualify Tinubu from 2027 Election over alleged Certificate Forgery

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The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CFRPA) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Kano seeking the disqualification of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the 2027 presidential election over allegations of certificate forgery.

‎According to court documents seen by Daily Trust, the plaintiff alleged that Tinubu presented forged academic certificates from Chicago State University and a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2023 elections.

‎The suit, marked FHC/K/CS/312/2026, lists Tinubu, INEC, and Chicago State University as defendants.

The plaintiff contended that Tinubu never attended Government College Lagos as claimed, noting that the school was established in 1974, four years after Tinubu allegedly graduated.

The CSO further argued that Tinubu does not possess a valid secondary school certificate, which is the minimum constitutional requirement to contest for the presidency.

It claimed that INEC had failed to act on its petition dated June 19, 2026, demanding clarification on Tinubu’s eligibility.

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‎In its statement of claims, the group referenced a 2023 U.S. court ruling in Re: Application of Atiku Abubakar (No. 23 CV 05099), which compelled Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records.

The plaintiff insisted those records revealed false entries and inconsistencies, including a forged University of Cambridge General Certificate of Education.

‎The prayers asked by the plaintiff included declaration of forgery against Tinubu’s Chicago State University certificate, issuance of an order directing INEC to disqualify him from the 2027 presidential election, directing CSU to strike Tinubu’s name from its records and perpetual injunction restraining INEC from uploading Tinubu’s name as a candidate.

‎The plaintiff also submitted affidavits of non-multiplicity of action, witness statements, and letters to the NYSC and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, demanding disclaimers on the alleged fake NYSC certificate.

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Firm expresses concern over repeated missing Court File in Ojukwu Property case

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Monarch, four others remanded for arson
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Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL, has raised concerns over what it described as the repeated absence of court records in its ongoing property dispute with Bianca Ojukwu and her sons, even as it filed a motion for stay of execution pending the determination of its appeal.

Proceedings before Justice A.M. Lawal of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, last Monday were stalled for the second time in six weeks due to the unavailability of the case file.

The matter was adjourned after the file was reportedly not returned to court.

A similar situation occurred on May 8, 2026, when the case could not proceed because the file was unavailable.

OTL alleged that the file had been taken from the Ikeja Judicial Division to Lagos more than two months ago for the execution of a warrant and had not been returned.

The claimants’ legal representatives were absent from court on both occasions.

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Describing the development as troubling, OTL said the repeated absence of the file had effectively stalled proceedings and raised questions about accountability in the handling of court records.

Amid the delays, the company disclosed that it had filed and served a motion for stay of execution at the Court of Appeal, seeking to halt enforcement of the judgment pending the determination of its appeal against the 2022 decision in Suit No. LD/1539/2012.

OTL maintained that the application became necessary because steps were being taken to enforce the judgment despite its pending appeal.

The company also contended that the properties in dispute had previously been the subject of a warrant of execution arising from a separate judgment delivered in 2018 by Justice Adedayo Oyebanji in Suit No. LD/794/2011.

The case was subsequently adjourned to October 8, 2026.

Present in court on both adjourned dates on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Limited was one of its directors, Dr. P. Ike Ojukwu.

Counsel to OTL are Ifeanyi Okumah Esq and Chief O. Ugolo, SAN, while Bianca Ojukwu and her sons are represented by Nick Omeye Esq and Co.

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DSS releases, compensates man wrongfully arrested over alleged links with Boko Haram

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The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the immediate release of a man wrongfully linked to Boko Haram terrorists.

The setting free followed a DSS investigation review panel that cleared Nura Idris of allegations of collaboration with Boko Haram terrorists.

Aside from giving Idris N3 million monetary compensation to meet his immediate needs, the DSS DG promised to help the wrongfully detained herder in his business, a practice common with the DG.

According to a security source, the farmer and animal rearer from Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was arrested by a sister security agency in Suleja, Niger State, in June 2024, for alleged links with terrorists, and was thereafter transferred to DSS custody.

Following a thorough review of Nura’s case, the DSS investigation panel found no basis for the charges against him, prompting the DGSS to order his immediate release and payment of compensation.

Receiving the compensation, Nura thanked the DGSS for what he described as a kind gesture, saying the money would help him restart his life.

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“I thank the DGSS for his kindness. I was well treated in DSS custody and I pray that Allah rewards the DGSS immensely,” the source quoted Nura as saying.

His father, Yusuf Idris, who received Nura upon his release, also expressed appreciation to the DGSS for his compassion and generosity, and assured that the compensation would be put to good use.

“When such cases are recorded, the DSS would usually follow up with the detainee, provide psychological and medical support, after which the Agency would further set up any business of the victim’s choice”, another source disclosed.

The release is part of an internal review exercise which the DSS began last year. The exercise is aimed at reassessing prolonged inherited cases to ensure that erroneously detained individuals do not remain in detention.

“The setting free and compensations across multiple cases underscores the DSS’s growing reputation for institutional integrity and humanness,” added the source.

“The Service under the current DG, has continued to show that safeguarding national security and citizens must go hand in hand with upholding the rights and dignity of citizens,” declared the source.

“Recall the case of Sunday Ifedi and his wife, Calista who were arrested on 8th November 2021 and detained in Wawa facility, three years before the appointment of the current DG in August 2024,” added the source. Sunday was released on 16th December, 2025, after the review of detainees ordered by the DG cleared him of ties with the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the DG awarded him N10 million as compensation.

“Importantly, plans are underway by the DSS to rebuild a restaurant in memory of Ifedi’s wife, Calista, who died while in custody in a detention facility in Wawa. The initiative is to compensate Sunday for the allegations that his late wife operated a restaurant being patronized by IPOB, for which they were arrested. This brings to bear, over thirty cases that have since been reviewed with over N300m paid as compensation,” the source disclosed.

It would also be recalled that, barely one month after ordering the release and payment of N10 million compensation of one Abuja-based business woman, Mrs. Chineze Ozoadibe, in October 2025, the DSS boss ordered the release of one Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor, arrested in July 2022, for his alleged involvement in the activities of the proscribed IPOB. Five other detainees wrongfully linked to IPOB were by the same directive of the DG, released and each given an initial N2 million cash compensation. Last month, the DSS also released a Yobe State resident, Ya’u Mohammed, after investigations confirmed that he had no connection to terrorism.

Following his release, the Service provided initial financial support worth N2 million to assist his reintegration and restoration of his livelihood.

“There are many more instances where DSS investigations have established innocence and have been followed by efforts to facilitate reintegration,” stated the source, adding, “these are the kind of measures the DSS is using to build public trust.”

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