Festus Keyamo ordered that no international flight operations should be conducted through non-international airports.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has reportedly ordered that no international flight operations should be conducted through non-international airports.
A circular to that effect, dated July 17, 2024, was issued by the Directorate of Air Traffic Services of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), TheCable reports.
According to the deputy general manager, S.E. Inegbedion, who was said to have signed the circular, the directive takes effect immediately.
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The report said Keyamo also directed that all international flight operations at general aviation terminals (GAT) and other private terminals at the international airports “must complete clearances/checks at international terminals, except those exempted by the national security adviser (NSA).”
Inegbedion noted that violators will receive “appropriate sanctions”.
It is suspected that some VIPs might be using that means to smuggle cash, goods, people, and arms into Nigeria.
An unnamed source quoted by the online newspaper said, “Many VIPs have devised a way of asking for last-minute permissions to land at local airports, even claiming they have made arrangements for a customs or immigration officer to clear them on arrival.”