S’Arabia Refuses to Grant Flight Permit for Nigerian Arms Procured from Pakistan

29 Dec 2014

By Senator Iroegbu

Nigeria’s effort at ending the Boko Haram insurgency has run into another hitch with the refusal by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to grant over-flight permits to cargo planes conveying military equipment and armoured tanks procured by the Nigerian government from Pakistan.

THISDAY gathered authoritatively from intelligence sources that the decision by the Saudi authorities is certain to cause a diplomatic row at a time the Jonathan administration is eager to end the insurgency in the North-east before the 2015 general election.

President Goodluck Jonathan is seeking re-election in less than two months time and had given the green light to the military authorities to procure arms from alternative sources such as Pakistan and Russia other than Nigeria’s traditional allies led by the United States of America, United Kingdom and France.

The decision, THISDAY gathered, was premised on Nigeria’s displeasure with the US after the country blocked the sale of American-manufactured Cobra attack helicopters from Israel.

With the position of the West, Nigeria decided to turn to the East, chiefly Pakistan, from which the federal government was able to procure a huge cache of military hardware needed to prosecute the war against Boko Haram.

However, an intelligence source said: “Getting the equipment into Nigeria immediately has run into a hitch owing to Saudi Arabia’s refusal to grant the cargo planes that will convey the arms over-flight permits through its airspace.

“We got permission to fly through Sudan and other countries but have been blocked by Saudi Arabia, which has impeded the urgency of the operation.”
He added that owing to Saudi Arabia’s refusal, the only alternative is for Nigeria to ship the armament by sea, but using this as an option would take much longer.

“If we resort to shipping the arms via the high seas, they would reach us well after the elections which may be too late for the desired impact, especially now that we have the insurgents on the run,” he explained.

Flight permits are required by all aircraft to overfly, land or make a technical stop in any country’s airspace. All countries have their own regulations regarding the issuance of flight permits, as there are generally a number of considerations including payment involved.

When asked if there might have been religious undertones in Saudi Arabia’s decision to withhold the flight permit, the intelligence source said he was not certain but would not rule it out.

“Nigeria has always had close ties to Saudi Arabia, but with a war that has a religious slant, we may not be able to rule it out. But what I can say for certain is that this would lead to diplomatic tensions between both countries,” he said.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/-s-arabia-refuses-to-grant-flight-permit-for-nigerian-arms-procured-from-pakistan/197883/

When top government officials were busy slandering Islam you people cheered them on. You all walked around smiling while your leaders make silly statements about religion and it was okay to all of you abi?

I guess next the FG will blame Sauidi Arabia

Why must Nigeria always look to import finished goods (military equipment). Government will now tell us it has no business with business.
if DICON is empowered to develop all these equipment, we will not be facing this embarrassment now.

We have so many mechanical engineers unemployed, some even with masters yet government says it has no business with business so it has to create employment in foreign countries by importing all sorts of finished goods at the expense of our people and the naira.

Saudi Arabia is simply doing the bidding of America and this action has absolutely no religious undertone in my opinion. Pakistan is a much more radical state than saudi and yet it has chosen to sell Nigeria weapons.

Mynd44:
When top government officials were busy slandering Islam you people cheered them on. You all walked around smiling while your leaders make silly statements about religion and it was okay to all of you abi?

I guess next the FG will blame Sauidi Arabia

Hope you mind naming the top government officials that slandered Islam.Anu mpama

Mynd44:
When top government officials were busy slandering Islam you people cheered them on. You all walked around smiling while your leaders make silly statements about religion and it was okay to all of you abi?

I guess next the FG will blame Sauidi Arabia

WTF!!!

It is the house rat that tells the bush rat where the fish is hidden.

chikena.

Mynd44:
When top government officials were busy slandering Islam you people cheered them on. You all walked around smiling while your leaders make silly statements about religion and it was okay to all of you abi?

I guess next the FG will blame Sauidi Arabia

Please give us proof.

The last time I checked, we have more Islamic officers in government and moreover the majority of people under bokoharam threat are Muslims.

Instead of blaming Saudi Arabia you turned the sword on your non existing enemy the government

[size=15pt]I completely believe this story is untrue and designed to leak Nigeria's source of arms procurement for it's military.

However, "If" Saudis refuse access over their airspace, they can always break the trip.

Fly from Pakistan to Dubai.
Then from Dubai, fly over the Indian ocean to avoid Saudi Arabia and then land at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Then from Addis Ababa to Abuja, Nigeria.

[/size]

Then quietly deny Saudi Arabian airlines landing rights in Nigeria.


.Don't say i told you so...



Oremi',thank you for providing a satellite map of the flight path & the Addis Ababa Connection, to make comprehension easy.

Ngwakwe:


Please give us proof.

The last time I checked, we have more Islamic officers in government and moreover the majority of people under bokoharam threat are Muslims.

Instead of blaming Saudi Arabia you turned the sword on your non existing enemy the government

You are going to blame the Saudi Government for not allowing a government they don't trust fly arms over their airspace?

Perhaps you will say Saudi Arabia is also supporting Boko Haram next.

Mynd44:
When top government officials were busy slandering Islam you people cheered them on. You all walked around smiling while your leaders make silly statements about religion and it was okay to all of you abi?

I guess next the FG will blame Sauidi Arabia

Senseless post.

Mynd44:
When top government officials were busy slandering Islam you people cheered them on. You all walked around smiling while your leaders make silly statements about religion and it was okay to all of you abi?

I guess next the FG will blame Sauidi Arabia

Focus on the matter at hand and leave religion out it.

We have blamed the APC, Buhari, America, Chad, Cameroon, The Muslims, the Northern Elites, the Northern Leaders. Why not also blame Saudi Arabia?

Most of you already say they are Islamic Militants and they do the wishes of Muslims anyway. Instead of addressing the root cause that the Nigerian state can not be trusted with arms least it ends up in the hands of terrorists.

Our global reputation is almost non-existent right now and what we care about is throwing blames around

Trut:


Focus on the matter at hand and leave religion out it.

It is now you people remember to "leave religion out of it" right?

Butterfly effects.

You really have time.
When they were using politics to divide Nigeria they did not know.

Mynd44:

You are going to blame the Saudi Government for not allowing a government they don't trust fly arms over their airspace?

Perhaps you will say Saudi Arabia is also supporting Boko Haram next.

jonezz:
Even Pakistan too We are finished as a country my brother,we import almost everything
Very soon we will be importing our wives lol

We import toothpick and office pins in this country sef.

You only know your true friends in times of trouble. I do not see how flying military hardware over Saudi Arabia skies would jeopardize their interest.

Right now it's obvious that these people have been seeing Nigeria as mumu and they do not reapect us.

Thats what you get when you have a weightless leadership that does not command international respect.

Say what you will, but I dont see how this nonsense would have happened during obasanjo's time. From south Africa to the United states and now Saudi Arabia. Wtf is really happening

Hahahahaha


I keep shouting it


Involve our higher institutions in weapons development (Design, Fabrication and Testing ) while DICON mass produces these weapons.


See the embarrassment we are receiving because of our refusal to develop our indigenous military technology.

Mynd44:
We have blamed the APC, Buhari, America, Chad, Cameroon, The Muslims, the Northern Elites, the Northern Leaders. Why not also blame Saudi Arabia?

Most of you already say they are Islamic Militants and they do the wishes of Muslims anyway. Instead of addressing the root cause that the Nigerian state can not be trusted with arms least it ends up in the hands of terrorists.

Our global reputation is almost non-existent right now and what we care about is throwing blames around

We blame APC, Buhari, Northern leaders, Northern elites, the Muslims etal because they don't condemn the activities of Boko haram, rather the blame the FG.

DickDastardly:

Senseless post.

Very senseless!

OAUTemitayo:
You really have time.
When they were using politics to divide Nigeria they did not know.

Nigerians are hilarious. When America did it they said it was because of the anti-gay law forgetting that most of America's allies in the middle east don't support homosexuality.

We cannot be trusted with arms. The way our military give up their outpost to terrorists is ridiculously worrying.

How does a barrack get captured in one day? And when we say they government is complacent they blame everyone else except themselves.

It is even more worrying that this comment came up

"If we resort to shipping the arms via the high seas, they would reach us well after the elections which may be too late for the desired impact, especially now that we have the insurgents on the run,”

So this is about the elections all along. If there was no elections they wont even bother more. I wonder why our military is just having them on the run too.

Crappy country with crappy leaders and even we the followers are crappy

Trut:


We blame APC, Buhari, Northern leaders, Northern elites, the Muslims etal because they don't condemn the activities of Boko haram, rather the blame the FG.

Hilarious. So just because they dont allegedly don't condemn it means we should fold our hands and do nothing?

Over 200 girls were kidnapped under the noses of the military and it took the president weeks before he even admitted it even after the military had lied that they rescued some and you are here yabbing about how no one trusts you with arms.

Mynd44:
When top government officials were busy slandering Islam you people cheered them on. You all walked around smiling while your leaders make silly statements about religion and it was okay to all of you abi?

I guess next the FG will blame Sauidi Arabia

Is that all you could get from the report above?

Pity!!

Chiefpriest1:
You only know your true friends in times of trouble. I do not see how flying military hardware over Saudi Arabia skies would jeopardize their interest.
Right now it's obvious that these people have been seeing Nigeria as mumu and they do not reapect us.
Thats what you get when you have a weightless leadership that does not command international respect.
Say what you will, but I dont see how this nonsense would have happened during obasanjo's time. From south Africa to the United states and now Saudi Arabia. Wtf is really happening

Mynd44:
We have blamed the APC, Buhari, America, Chad, Cameroon, The Muslims, the Northern Elites, the Northern Leaders. Why not also blame Saudi Arabia?
Most of you already say they are Islamic Militants and they do the wishes of Muslims anyway. Instead of addressing the root cause that the Nigerian state can not be trusted with arms least it ends up in the hands of terrorists.
Our global reputation is almost non-existent right now and what we care about is throwing blames around

If Northern and Western elites who ruled Nigeria had involved our higher institutions in weapons development ( Design , Fabrication and Testing ) as DICON mass produces, we won't be receiving these insults.


Question guys like you should ask is

What effort did Buhari make in encouraging our higher institutions in weapons development when he was military head of state.

What effort did OBJ make in seeing that Nigeria through the help of her higher institutions developed weapons that are exportable.

Trut:


We blame APC, Buhari, Northern leaders, Northern elites, the Muslims etal because they don't condemn the activities of Boko haram, rather the blame the FG.

Are you saying they have never denounced Boko Haram before? Or do you want them to take up the role of chief condemner as a full time job? The way you guys think ehn

papaejima1:

Is that all you could get from the report above?

Pity!!

I guess you missed this

"When asked if there might have been religious undertones in Saudi Arabia’s decision to withhold the flight permit, the intelligence source said he was not certain but would not rule it out. “Nigeria has always had close ties to Saudi Arabia, but with a war that has a religious slant, we may not be able to rule it out."

Interesting

There was a country.

WhiteTechnology:



If Northern and Western elites who ruled Nigeria had involved our higher institutions in weapons development ( Design , Fabrication and Testing ) as DICON mass produces, we won't be receiving these insults.


Question guys like you should ask is

What effort did Buhari make in encouraging our higher institutions in weapons development when he was military head of state.

What effort did OBJ make in seeing that Nigeria through the help of her higher institutions developed weapons that are exportable.

Errr....

Why is Buhari being mentioned here? I dont understand you people.

How come you did not ask what IBB who annulled an election (who our president went to go say hello to) did about it? Game of interest huh?

Keep playing and expect anyone tl take us serious

Terrorists.The earlier Nigeria stops trading with countries that harbour terrorists,the better it will be for her.We know the middle east is a strong backer of bokoharam,because of their islamic agenda.Your enemies do not help you find solution to the problem they create,they only make it worse for you.

Can u imagine,our strong diplomatic relation wit saudi failed because of dis useless man called jonathan#sai Buhari2015

We are watching, Saudi Arabia is doing the bidding of the APC saboteurs who have a large majority of their muslim ilk