Latest acquisition brings to four planes in his fleet

By Chinedu Eze

A former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who has been blamed for fostering the terrorist Boko Haram sect in North-eastern Nigeria, has added another airplane to his fleet with his latest acquisition being a new Gulfstream jet G650 model that cost him an estimated $72 million (N11.5 billion).

The aircraft, which was registered in Dubai with special specifications, is the fourth in his fleet, as the former governor already has three old Dornier aircraft which he acquired from Aero Contractors at an estimated $3 million (N480 million).

THISDAY learnt that the Dornier aircraft are used for charter services as Sheriff recently obtained an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for his airline, Skybird. But a source said the Gulfstream was acquired for Sheriff's personal use.
An operator who is aware of the purchase described the aircraft as top of the range, adding that it was unlikely that the former governor would deploy it for commercial service.

A Nigerian pilot and chief executive officer of an airline that provides charter services, said by registering the aircraft overseas, Sheriff had denied Nigeria taxes and import duty on the aircraft.
He added that no Nigerian pilot or engineer would be employed to operate or work on the aircraft because with the foreign registration, only pilots and engineers licensed in the United Arab Emirates would be authorised to operate and service the aircraft.

“By registering the aircraft overseas, he has avoided tax and import duty, which he should pay to a country where he is a citizen and from which he made the money which he now spends on a foreign crew,” he said.

The source also explained that Sheriff would also be paying overseas facility managers for the maintenance of the aircraft and would also pay charges to the company under which the aircraft was registered overseas.

The main price of the aircraft is $65 million but other charges could have raised it to $72 million and according to US-based Forbes magazine, the Gulfstream G650 has an order book of 200 customers throughout the world.

“A $65 million price tag doesn’t seem to detract from the fascination with this incredible airplane. While the rest of the business aviation industry is battling the depressed economy, there seems to be a buoyant market in the US and abroad for this ultra-high-priced, high-performance jet.
“And why not? With a top speed of 92 per cent of the speed of sound (arguably the fastest civilian jet in the world), room for a basketball team, 8,000-statute-mile range and some of the most sophisticated avionics rivalling nearly anything in the sky, this airplane is perfect for doing business on a global scale.

“Because of its superlatives, including price, however, it also appeals greatly to the ‘if you’ve got it, flaunt it’ crowd,” Forbes said on its Brand Voice website.
Gulfstream described the aircraft as ultra-high-speed, ultra-long-range business jet and the gold standard in business aviation.

The model was introduced in 2008 with a capacity for eight passengers and a crew of four on nonstop legs of 7,000 nautical miles (12,964 km) for standard configuration.

“That means it will link Dubai with New York and London with Buenos Aires. With its powerful Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, the G650 will cover shorter distances at a speed of Mach 0.925. No traditional business jet will take you closer to the speed of sound,” Gulfstream said on its website.


http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ex-borno-governor-sheriff-acquires-72m-aircraft/163500/

Wow Nigeria is going mad and even the daft northers now are into this madness,the state you ruled for 8yrs is the most dngerous state in africa presently and you are not doing anything to assist nigerians and your so called daft emirs to do something about it...wetin dey ur head nah jet..all of una wey dey use our money buy private jet and fleet of bullet prove cars...Una Go Sleep One Day And Will Wake In Hell..Make Una stuff bullet prove cum help una for dream attack...Awan Oloshi...First to comment sha

Dumb head!! Smh

who said crime/terrorism doesnt pay? Afterall tompolo abi na wetin them they call am don buy em own.

And why is EFCC keeping quiet over this? He ought to be investigated,and the money used in purchasing the airplane,if found to be stolen,be recovered!


One thing these so-called rich elites fail to understand is that all that glitters ain't gold. One day,they would wake up dead and leave all these behind.

Nawa oh! If he can buy an aircraft for that huge amount, that means he really stole a lot of money while he was still in power and I'm sure more than this amount will still be remaining. Chei!!!! Where exactly does he wants to fly the aircraft to ?! I just wonder if some of this politicians have brains sef because they always do outrageous things beyond human comprehension. God!!!!!!
To even think Jonathan asked EFCC to drop all charges against former governors is worrisome.

There is a lot of money to loot in this country...Nigeria is reaaly a rich country. I'm patiently waiting for my time to come when I shall partake in the national cake. This One Nigeria really favours the corrupt elite. God Bless Nigeria until it disintegrate sha.

I could remember one. of. his interviews with a newspaper sometimes in 2005 , he boasted of having more than 100 Jeeps in his garage...
sometimes i tell myself if being wealthy will. lead me to the piling up of vanity... then I don't pray to be wealthy.
the 72 million dollars could be used to change the life of more than 72 thousand people..but in this country of ours the more u Look the less u see, the less u see, the lesser u understand...
hopelessly hopeless

..

And yet the Northerners are not holding him to ransom.
They are all after the presidency.
The almajiris should be lynching their governors for wickedly improverishing them.

The way "aircraft posts" attracts unsavory comments on NL and Nigerians in general shows the level of "poverty" in our minds.
Imagine someone asking where he wants to fly to?
Some of these politicians were mega billionaires before assuming office. Be that as it may, I won't rule out corruption

Well done alhaji!

solomon111: And yet the Northerners are not holding him to ransom.
They are all after the presidency.
The almajiris should be lynching their governors for wickedly improverishing them.

What makes you think he's not linked to the Preidency and a faction of Boko Haram loyal to PDP. All these people are part of Nigeria's problem. It is not a North or South thing.

yemmy_tee: Wow Nigeria is going mad and even the daft northers now are into this madness,the state you ruled for 8yrs is the most dngerous state in africa presently and you are not doing anything to assist nigerians and your so called daft emirs to do something about it...wetin dey ur head nah jet..all of una wey dey use our money buy private jet and fleet of bullet prove cars...Una Go Sleep One Day And Will Wake In Hell..Make Una stuff bullet prove cum help una for dream attack...Awan Oloshi...First to comment sha

Should this man not be tried by the sharia court he helped to create and the BH maintains.

Niger-delta militant kingpin buy private jet, boko haram kingpin buy private jet also.

It is important to have private jet now because you need it for smuggling ammunition into nigeria.

#2015 tinz#

this man was behind one of the greatest calamity to befall Nigeria in recent times, and yet he still visits the president in aso rock, claims political relevance and buy jets with carefree abandon!
this shows that in this country, you can do whatever you like so long as you are in sync with the ruling elites

kaeyame: The way "aircraft posts" attracts unsavory comments on NL and Nigerians in general shows the level of "poverty" in our minds.
Imagine someone asking where he wants to fly to?
Some of these politicians were mega billionaires before assuming office. Be that as it may, I won't rule out corruption

Don't be daft, mega billionaires! , most of them were bordering on broke, they were yes boys to political godfathers.
Real billionaires detest politics , as they would rather sponsor politicians who can repay them with contracts, sell government assets at reduced prices and advantageous trading policies

solomon111: And yet the Northerners are not holding him to ransom.
They are all after the presidency.
The almajiris should be lynching their governors for wickedly improverishing them.

Shaanuu, what about your leaders in south-south? With all the monthly allocation they collect what do you have to show for it? SAS is just like orji uzor kalu he has his money before coming to politics

Waiting for ibo people to him a thief

This is so normal.
Wondering why u guys are surprise.
This is Nigeria.

northern politicians n their way of reasoning.,bh is turnin ur state into somali,almajiris ar flooding ur streets n u stil hv dt amount of moni to buy jet.,n sum pple stil support dis kind of man if he contests for d presidency

I think he just bought what will finally kill him... R I P in advance Sir.

Most of his people that he ruled for 8yrs are in kano street , lagos y he is busy buying private jet. Nonsense Man

abu12:

Shaanuu, what about your leaders in south-south? With all the monthly allocation they collect what do you have to show for it? SAS is just like orji uzor kalu he has his money before coming to politics

guy,condemn wat is bad.hw cn sumbody dt his state is flooded wit almajiri dt ar bein recruited by bh stil hv d mind to buy private jet.is it a crime if he uses dt moni to build skul n gv them scholarships

Abagworo:

What makes you think he's not linked to the Preidency and a faction of Boko Haram loyal to PDP. All these people are part of Nigeria's problem. It is not a North or South thing.

I don't care if he's linked to the president or not.
The Northerners should be as passionate and vociferous when attacking and exposing their numerous corrupt governors as they are when attacking the president for their selfish interests.

All iz well....if dey shld collect d ill gotten wealth of donald duke,odili,igbinedion,uzor kalu,obj and their ilk,d fg wud meet ASUU's demand n enof change go remain.....lyf anagaga sha

cashkid_is_back: guy,condemn wat is bad.hw cn sumbody dt his state is flooded wit almajiri dt ar bein recruited by bh stil hv d mind to buy private jet.is it a crime if he uses dt moni to build skul n gv them scholarships

Did you condemn stella oduah?

Did you condemn orji uzor kalu, when some of you will come here to post pictures of his house, cars etc did you?
Try and celebrate sheriff Ali-modu just the way you celebrate your brothers in the south.

abu12:

Shaanuu, what about your leaders in south-south? With all the monthly allocation they collect what do you have to show for it? SAS is just like orji uzor kalu he has his money before coming to politics

This is the problem with Nigeria.
You are being tribal at your own detriment.
Somone you don't know and will never benefit from, stole from you and u could only attack the innocent man that condemned the thief(just because the thief is from your tribe).smh.Nna never suffer.na the beginning be dis

kaeyame: The way "aircraft posts" attracts unsavory comments on NL and Nigerians in general shows the level of "poverty" in our minds.
Imagine someone asking where he wants to fly to?
Some of these politicians were mega billionaires before assuming office. Be that as it may, I won't rule out corruption

are you kidding, these guys were as broke as fvkc before the held public posts

abu12:

Did you condemn stella oduah?

Did you condemn orji uzor kalu, when some of you will come here to post pictures of his house, cars etc did you?
Try and celebrate sheriff Ali-modu just the way you celebrate your brothers in the south.

Nonsense.
Your governor is one of your closest government that has a direct impart on your well-being.
The aviation minister is far away, and is virtually a minister for the rich,as only the well-to-do can afford to use air transportion in Nigeria.
If you think any SANE southerner will support this blatant display of corruption by their governor,then you must be mistaken.

dr.laykay:

This is the problem with Nigeria.
You are being tribal at your own detriment.
Somone you don't know and will never benefit from, stole from you and u could only attack the innocent man that condemned the thief(just because the thief is from your tribe).smh.Nna never suffer.na the beginning be dis

Stop being hypocrite here, is he the first to buy private jet? How many private jet did GEJ has in aso-rock? Was it not raised here? What have you done to these who have bought their own in the past?

abu12:

Stop being hypocrite here, is he the first to buy private jet? How many private jet did GEJ has in aso-rock? Was it not raised here? What have you done to these who have bought their own in the past?

No, but when do we shout enough!

I have a very dear aunt , who is heavily involved in nigeria at the moment, and she clued me into something yesterday. That $1.6 million from stella oduah is small near nothing. She can't steal that small amount, she was just complacent and allowed her juniors to chop money.

solomon111: Nonsense.
Your governor is one of your closest government that has a direct impart your well-being.
The aviation minister is far away, and is virtually a minister for the rich,as only the well-to-do can afford to use air transportion in Nigeria.
If you think any SANE southerner will support this blatant display of corruption by their governor,then you must be mistaken.

Please say another thing, if the minister is faraway from me what is your business with the former governor, is he not far from you? Even sitting governors has private jet in south, jonathan has fleet of jet.