President Bola Tinubu encountered travel issues on his way to an economic summit in Saudi Arabia, as reported by the Peoples Gazette online newspaper.
His main luxury jet was said to be under maintenance, while a second aircraft developed technical problems in the Netherlands.
The online newspaper also reported that as a result, the President Tinubu had to use a charter jet for the trip.
It should be noted that the president arrived in The Hague on April 23 for engagements at the request of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
However, Tinubu was said to be informed of the plane’s problems shortly before leaving the Netherlands.
People’s Gazette reported that the technical complications, including an oxygen leak, forced him to use a charter jet for the onward journey to Saudi Arabia.
It was gathered that some of his aides traveled separately. The aircraft, a Gulfstream G550, was originally dedicated to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
However, the president used it for his trip as his dedicated carrier, a Boeing 737 operated by the Nigerian Air Force, was under maintenance.
The Gulfstream jet was later fixed and sent to Saudi Arabia to return the president to Nigeria after his official trip.
The vice-president also had to use chartered planes for his trips, including one to Iperu-Remo on Sunday.
The presidential air fleet has faced maintenance issues in recent years, with the Boeing 737 undergoing repairs multiple times.
Aviation monitors have criticized the maintenance expenditure, suggesting that a new plane would be a more cost-effective solution.
Officials are concerned about the safety implications of the frequent breakdowns and are considering the replacement of the aging planes.
Nigeria has had a near-perfect record in air travel among its leaders, but concerns have grown since a helicopter crash involving former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in February 2019.
