The Ogun State government has denied social media rumours claiming it has acquired a Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft to operate under a proposed airline label, Gateway Air.
The rumour, which trended on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) and other online platforms during the week, alleged that the state government had secured the 90-seater jet as part of its aviation expansion drive.
A brand-new Bombardier CRJ 900 typically costs around $40 million, while used models sell between $10 and 15 million, depending on their age and condition.
Some online commentators also claimed the jet was spotted parked beside another CRJ 900 aircraft recently acquired by Ogun-born billionaire Kunle Soname, chairman of ValueJet, for his own commercial aviation venture.
But the state government dismissed the reports as false. The Media aide to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kayode Akinmade said no such acquisition was made, insisting that if Ogun had plans for an airline, it would be publicly announced.
‘If it were true, the state would have released official statements in that regard’, Mr Akinmade told Peoples Gazette on Tuesday evening.
He added that the state is focused on other infrastructural projects and would not engage in secretive purchases of aircraft.
The denial comes amid growing speculation about the government’s aviation interests, with observers pointing to Ogun’s proximity to Lagos and its ongoing efforts to complete the cargo airport project in Iperu.
