Airline apologises after flying Naira Marley to concert

An airline in Nigeria has apologised to the aviation minister for flying musician Naira Marley on Saturday from the commercial hub, Lagos, to the capital, Abuja, to perform in a concert.

The Executive Jet Company was suspended by the minister for facilitating what was classed as non-essential travel and was against the government's recommendations to fight the spread of coronavirus.

In an apology letter to the aviation minister, the airline's CEO, Sam Iwuajoku, said the flight had been initially booked for a judge on Sunday who then made other travel arrangements.

Mr Iwuajoku said in the letter that he had approved the flight on Saturday after reviewing the passenger manifest and thought one of them was a government minister.

"I saw Fashiola Babatunde, I thought it was the Honourable Minister for Works with his men, so we decided to do the flight since [it was] a serving minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I didn't know that it was a bunch of useless people," Mr Iwuajoku said.

Nigerian artist Azzez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, was among those who travelled.

The company's apology letter was shared by local media.