The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to help look into non-remittance of the mandatory five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charge (CSC) by some commercial airlines, saying that such non-compliance results in shortfalls in NCAA’s internally generated revenue needed for adequate safety oversight.
Najomo also appealed to EFCC to strengthen its operations by assisting it in tackling economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption peculiar to the aviation industry.
According to a statement posted on EFCC’s verified Facebook page, he made the appeals in Abuja on Tuesday when he led a delegation of NCAA management team on a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, at the corporate headquarters of the Commission.
Najomo noted that fraudulent activities in the aviation industry posed grave risks to NCAA’s safety oversight and operational transparency, adding that the Authority needed EFCC’s intervention in tackling financial risks that directly affect aviation safety, economic regulation and investor confidence.
He further identified high-value transactions such as aircraft purchases, leasing arrangements, foreign maintenance contracts and procurement of safety infrastructures as areas vulnerable to fraud as well as money laundering.
“Non-remittance weakens NCAA’s ability to fund safety oversight and operational efficiency and may require EFCC’s intervention to investigate cases where deliberate withholding, diversion or misappropriation of these funds is suspected.
“Some operators deliberately under-report revenues, manipulate ticketing systems or divert funds, thereby sabotaging the NCAA’s ability to regulate effectively. In such cases, EFCC’s intervention is necessary,” Najomo said.
He further pointed to NCAA’s battles against illegal charter operations, disguised as private flights, which he said, often involved unregulated financial flows, noting that EFCC’s financial intelligence capabilities were needful in unmasking such fraudulent activities. The NCAA boss also identified training of NCAA staff in the detection of financial red flags, joint sensitization workshops and intelligence sharing as additional areas the Authority needed support from the EFCC.
While observing that the NCAA cannot fully achieve its mandate without the support of the EFCC, he commended the anti-graft Commission for its critical role in safeguarding Nigeria’s financial system through the detection, investigation and prosecution of economic and financial crimes.
In response, Olukoyede was thankful for the visit and pledged the Commission’s full involvement in the sanitisation of the aviation industry.
“With the kind of work you do, when people see us beside you, they will take you seriously. Aviation is an area where we have seen money laundering, particularly through chartered services. That is why we have been reaching out to you, and we will continue to do so until we achieve the desired results,” he said.
He charged the NCAA to strengthen its surveillance of the private wing of airports, which he described as a hotbed for illicit financial activities and assured that the Commission was ready to work closely with the Authority on issues of non-remittance by airlines, illicit financial flows, and fraudulent ticketing systems, which he said was often exploited by foreign airlines.
The EFCC boss further expressed the Commission’s willingness to delve more into the aviation sector, disclosing that the EFCC will designate senior officers to work with the NCAA in finalizing an MoU on joint investigations, intelligence exchange and compliance monitoring.
Overall, Olukoyede assured the NCAA of EFCC’s support in safeguarding the Nigerian aviation sector from fraud and economic sabotage.
