Despite the directives by the federal government that all private jets at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, be relocated ahead of the inauguration of the new government on May 29, LEADERSHIP investigation has shown that some private jets are still at the airport.
The expiration of the relocation order was yesterday. The federal government had in a in a circular dated May 8, 2023, addressed to aircraft operators and signed by the regional manager of FAAN,
Kabir Mohammed, gave the order for the relocation of the jets The circular with reference number: FAAN/ ABJ/NAIA /RGM/NC/ AM/1000/VOl-1 read in part, ”This is to inform you of a need to temporarily relocate your aircraft to alternate airports due to the upcoming presidential inauguration slated for May 29, 2023
. “The presidential inauguration is a highsecurity event, and in order to ensure the safety and security of parties involved, it has become necessary to temporarily relocate all aircraft parked at the GAT to alternate airports. To this end, you are kindly requested to relocate your aircraft on or before 22 May 2023.” However, our investigation showed that while some owners had relocated theirs, others had failed to do so.
One of the airport workers, who spoke to LEADERSHIP on condition of anonymity, said some of the jets cannot be moved due to technical reasons. Earlier, a former managing director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and chief executive officer of Top Brass Aviation, Capt Roland Iyayi, had expressed concern that most of the aircraft parked at the GAT terminal at the Abuja Airport were not serviceable and as such, relocating them might prove difficult. He said,
“Most of the aircraft parked there cannot fly, so if FAAN is asking for the aircraft to be moved then it would suggest that there’s something they know that we don’t know. I don’t think it’s possible, most of the aircraft parked there are not entirely serviceable, if they are not serviceable how do you move them?” When contacted, the spokesperson of the FAAN, Abuja Airport, Kayode Adeoluwa, said “since it is a federal government’s order, it must be followed to the letter.”
