Outstanding taxes have resulted in the closure of the Kaduna State regional offices of Azman Air (AZM, Kano) and Sky Power Express Airways (Lagos), according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
It reports the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) on June 21 obtained a court order to seal the premises in Kaduna state of Azman Air and Sky Power Express Airways over outstanding taxes of NGN15.2 million naira (about USD20,000) and NGN 5.4 million (about USD7,000), respectively.
Neither airline was immediately available for comment.
According to NAN, the carriers are among eight private companies closed down in the state, owing NGN419.3 million (USD552,993) in taxes.
ch-aviation last week reported that Azman Air has suspended most of its domestic operations but continues to operate charters to Saudi Arabia under contract from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). It has two aircraft in service: one B737-500 for domestic routes and one A340-600 for Hajj charters to Saudi Arabia.
In 2020, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) suspended Sky Power Express Airways' Part G operations specifications, effectively banning it from wet-leasing its aircraft to other airlines. At the time, its fleet comprised four Hawker 800XPs, two Bombardier Aerospace Challenger 604, one Challenger 601, and one Gulfstream G200.
