By Muhammad Kabir, Kano
The management of Azman Air has strongly denied allegations of smuggling and selling its aircraft to the Islamic Republic of Iran, describing the claims as baseless and defamatory. The airline has also vowed to take legal action against those propagating the story.
Speaking in Kano, Azman Air’s Accountable Manager, Muhammad Hadi AbdulManaf, explained that the aircraft in question was sent to Iran for a mandatory C-Check, a routine maintenance procedure required by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) every 18 months.
“Our aircraft went for routine C-Checks, which are mandatory every 18 months. I am shocked to hear claims that we smuggled our aircraft to Iran. An aircraft is not a cow that can be smuggled. This story is entirely fake and lacks any factual basis,” AbdulManaf said.
He emphasized that the C-Check schedule had elapsed and that the maintenance process was overdue, making the allegations even more implausible. According to AbdulManaf, the NCAA has clear guidelines for selling and deregistering aircraft, none of which Azman Air has followed.
“There are clear NCAA guidelines on selling and deregistering aircraft from our Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC). Unless that process is completed, the aircraft remains under our control. The NCAA has not received any documents or correspondence from Azman Air regarding this matter,” he added.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) also denied any involvement in the alleged sale of Nigerian-registered aircraft. Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, revealed that an investigation had been launched into the matter.
“Of particular interest is the reported deactivation of the aircraft’s transponder. We have already written to the Iranian Civil Aviation Authority for clarification. If the transponder was turned off outside our jurisdiction, the relevant CAA or Air Traffic Control in that country should have reported it. So far, we have received no such complaints,” Achimugu stated.
He also noted that for an aircraft to be sold, it must first be deregistered in Nigeria, a process that has not occurred.
Azman Air’s management clarified that the transponder issue resulted from a technical fault, which was documented in the aircraft’s tech log and reported to the NCAA.
Additionally, AbdulManaf addressed concerns about international sanctions on Iran, asserting that Azman Air operates within the framework of international agreements.
“We are not aware of any sanctions between Nigeria and Iran. In fact, there are economic treaties under the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation that promote free trade of aviation services and products among member countries, including Nigeria and Iran,” he explained.
Azman Air reiterated that it has not sold or smuggled its aircraft and warned that those behind the false allegations would face legal consequence
The NCAA has assured the public that investigations into the matter are ongoing, with particular focus on the alleged transponder deactivation and any procedural breaches.