Emirates Airlines says it will resume services to Nigeria from October 1, 2024, operating a daily service between Lagos and Dubai.

In a statement on Thursday, the airline, with its hub in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said flight services will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER.

Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim, said, “We are excited to resume our services to Nigeria. The Lagos-Dubai service has traditionally been popular with customers in Nigeria and we hope to reconnect leisure and business travellers to Dubai and onwards to our network of over 140 destinations.

“We thank the Nigerian government for their partnership and support in re-establishing this route and we look forward to welcoming passengers back onboard.”

Emirates Airlines had suspended its Dubai-Lagos flights in 2022 over its inability to repatriate trapped funds in Nigeria in the heat of the diplomatic row between the two countries.

Nigeria and the UAE have a long history of restriction of flights between both countries based on certain unresolved issues surrounding the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA). Visa restrictions later surfaced as diplomatic fireworks continue between Nigeria and the UAE, which is a top destination for Nigerian migrants and tourists.

In September 2023, President Bola Tinubu met with UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi, to smoothen the rough edges in the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, recently said Emirates Airlines has indicated a definite date to resume flight operations to Nigerian airports.

However, the UAE has not officially announced its latest decision on visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers.

Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Hamzat Adebola, on Thursday, paraded the former Chairman, Park Management System, Lamidi Mukaila fondly called Auxiliary.

The Department of State Services penultimate Tuesday arrested Auxillary at his Olodo residence in Ibadan, the state capital, months after the police had declared him wanted for allegedly involving in a series of armed robbery, kidnapping, and murder cases.

Adebola, while parading the suspect at the state police command, said he would be charged in court.

He said, “Discreet intelligence-led search commenced for the sacked PMS chieftain with the help of technology, collaborative efforts with sister services and community policing, many locations were identified, traced and combed for months until his recent arrest in a concerted effort with our sister services.

“Exhibits recovered in his possession at his Diamond Hotel residence around Alakia-Isebo Egbeda under Egbeda Local Government Area at the time include one AK-47 Riffle, four AK-47 magazines, 84 live AK-47 Ammunitions, 19 pump action riffles, one Barreta pistol, seven cut-to-size guns, one English made Barrel Gun.

“724 live cartridges, 25 cutlasses, Seven Jack knives, 33 mobile phones, one Samsung laptop, charms, one Mazda Bus, one Toyota Sienna, cash sum of N3,450,000.00. Moving forward, the suspect would be charged to court for offenses committed.” He stated.

The CP, therefore, thanked the public for providing credible information to curb the crime in the state.

Adebola also reiterated the commitment of the command to deal decisively with any criminally motivated individual or group who intended to flip the state retrogressively into the historical dark ages of the “Wild West.”

The defence headquarters has declared one Halilu Buzu, a suspected terrorist kingpin, wanted.

Speaking during a media briefing on Thursday, Edward Buba, director of defence media operations, said Buzu is a citizen of Niger Republic but resides in Zamfara.

Buba said the army has been on his trail, adding that he is also wanted for killing 19 villagers in Farar Kasa area of Zamfara.

He said the suspected terrorist leader is well connected with arms suppliers in Libya.

“We are on the hunt of one Halilu Buzu. This Halilu Buzu is a terrorist leader that hails from Buzu in the Republic of Niger,” he said.

“He settles in Subbubu forest which is somewhere around Zamfara as well as lives in Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara.

“He has an illegal gold mining located at Kware in Anka LGA of Zamfara state and he also has a lot of boys working for him.

“Additionally, he is a prominent cattle rustler. Last week, his boys killed 19 villagers at Farar Kasa and for us he is a high-value target, therefore, we declare him wanted.

“Furthermore, he is a major arms dealer, supplier, and suspect that is trusted by arms dealers supplying arms from Libya.

“Whenever we close in on him, he goes across the border into the Niger Republic for refuge.

“At this time, we have through appropriate channels, called on the Nigerien authorities, regional authorities and international bodies to support us in effecting his arrest and holding him accountable for his atrocities.”

Buba said the army has been working in various theatres of operation to address attacks against troops and citizens.

“We are also hunting those that are of symbolic value, including all those that have been declared wanted,” he added.