It seems like the anti-waste war led by President Muhammadu Buhari is going to be under intense test soon as some people in his inner circle are violating his rules.
On Tuesday, a well-known close ally of the president, the Comptroller General of Customs, Hamid Ali, was spotted flying first class on British Airways flight from London to Abuja, in clear violation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive banning public officials from flying first class.
The British Airways flight BA83, which took off from Gate 43 of Heathrow Terminal 5, London, on Tuesday, nearly an hour behind its scheduled 10.43pm departure time, arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Wednesday morning at about 5a.m, with Mr. Ali on board.
The purpose of Mr. Ali’s travel to London, yet to be known.However a source very close to the customs operations said the trip was official.
Ali was seen by many other passengers, sitting in the First Class coach in the aircraft.
“It was a major talking point among some passengers whether the policy (barring public officials from flying first class) is being implemented with exceptions or whether it is meant for the shelves,” one passenger on the flight said.
There were notable Nigerians on board and a number of them confirmed that the customs comptroller-general was in the first class cabin of the aircraft during the flight.
A first class ticket to and from London costs $11,423.23 (about N3.4million).
Besides being a close friend of Mr. Buhari, Mr. Ali, a retired army colonel, is a man seen by many Nigerian as frugal and incorruptible.
