Bi-Courtney Denies 14bn Debt

 Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), the operator of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos Terminal Two (MMA2), has denied claims that it is owing N14 billion to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

In a statement by its Spokesman, Mikail Mumuni, the company said it is the federal government agency instead that owes it.

“On the contrary, it is FAAN that owes Bi-Courtney over N200bn by depriving it of its legitimate earnings over the past 14 years,” the statement read in part.

The company accused FAAN of opening and operating the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), thus competing with it in the running of the Domestic Terminal, which it said, is a flagrant breach of the concession agreement.

“BASL in line with the dispute resolution process contained in the agreement had an arbitration award in its favor. It also got the judgment of a High Court, six Court of Appeal judgment’s and a Supreme Court judgment, all in its favor and sustained the monetary award,” Mumuni said.

Mumuni stressed that the courts ruled that any debt that may be alleged against BASL by FAAN should be deducted from the credit judgment after due verification.

Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, had said BASL is indebted to FAAN to the tune of N14 billion and had not made any payment to the government in the last 13 years.