The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has denied any involvement in the alleged sale of Nigerian-registered aircraft, emphasizing that investigations into the claims are currently underway.

Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, dismissed the allegations during an interview on TVC News’ “Beyond 100 Days” program on Tuesday night.

“These are weighty allegations that have been made. The natural course of justice is to investigate these allegations thoroughly. You cannot investigate such claims without speaking to all parties named,” Achimugu stated.

Recent reports from some media outlets alleged that two Nigerian-registered aircraft were smuggled to Iran and sold to an Iranian airline in violation of international sanctions. The aircraft in question are an Airbus A340-600 with the registration number 5N-AAM and a Boeing 737-300 with the registration number 5N-YSM, now reportedly stored at airports in Tehran.

The Middle East Forum Observer accused Azman Air, a Nigerian airline, of involvement in facilitating the transaction with Mahan Air, a sanctioned Iranian carrier.

Achimugu clarified that the sale of such aircraft would require deregistration in Nigeria—a process that, according to the NCAA, has not occurred.

“As far as the NCAA is concerned, no aircraft has been deregistered or sold. We have not been involved in any sales, and investigations are ongoing to determine how these allegations arose,” Achimugu said.

The NCAA also addressed claims of transponder deactivation on the aircraft, which allegedly occurred outside Nigerian jurisdiction. The agency has reached out to Iran’s Civil Aviation Authority for clarification on the matter.

Achimugu stated, “If a transponder was turned off outside our jurisdiction, the Iranian Civil Aviation Authority or their Air Traffic Control would have reported it to us. We have received no such complaints.”

While the NCAA insists there is currently no evidence to substantiate the allegations, Achimugu assured the public that the agency would investigate thoroughly and share the findings.

“There is no evidence of aircraft sales or deregistration yet. The reports lack specific details. Once the investigations are complete, the findings will be made public,” he concluded.

This development underscores the NCAA’s commitment to maintaining transparency and upholding aviation regulations in the country.