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Nigeria: Ex-aviation heads misused air safety fund

Email|Print|Single Page| Text size – + By Bashir Adigun
Associated Press Writer / July 2, 2008

ABUJA, Nigeria—The Nigerian government charged two former aviation ministers Wednesday with misusing a $165-million fund set up to improve air safety after three airplane accidents.

Babalola Borishade and Femi Fani-Kayode were arraigned on charges of conspiracy, breach of trust, forgery and misappropriation of funds. Both pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Borishade and Fani-Kayode were arrested by anti-corruption officials Monday following a government investigation into the misuse of the fund.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo created the fund. Both Borishade and Fani-Kayode served under Obasanjo, who left office in May 2007.

Fani-Kayode replaced Borishade as aviation minister in February 2006, days after a Boeing 737 crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 96 of the 105 people on board.

More than 200 others -- including dozens of school children -- died in two separate accidents in the months before that.

The West African country is routinely ranked one of the world's most-corrupt nations and has a poor air-safety record.

© Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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