A task team investigating illegal charter operations at Nigerian airports has recommended the immediate shutdown and reorganisation of Abuja's general aviation terminal after finding that 90% of airport criminal activities, including money laundering, drug trafficking, and fugitive transfers, happen there.
Local media reported that the Committee on Illegal Chartered Operations, set up by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development in July 2024 amid a rise in illegal air charters, delivered its report to minister Festus Keyamo on March 4.
Presenting the report, committee chairman Ado Sunusi, CEO of Aero Contractors (N2, Lagos), estimated that illegal charter operations, regulatory weaknesses, loopholes in the granting of permits for non-commercial flights, inadequate oversight, and security vulnerabilities may have cost the federal government more than NGN120 billion naira (USD80 million) in lost revenue over the past decade, according to the newspaper Economic Confidential.
The implication is that many high-net-worth Nigerians use their private jets for unauthorised charter operations, depriving the federal government of potential revenue.
"Our findings highlight that these illegal activities not only pose a risk to aviation safety but also create an uneven playing ground for legitimate operators. Ninety percent of the criminal activities occur in this general aviation terminal, be it laundering, be it drug trafficking, or fugitive transfers, all are being conducted in that general aviation terminal in Abuja," he was quoted as saying by broadcaster Voice of Nigeria.
"It is our humble opinion that the general terminal should immediately be shut down and reorganised, assessed, and opened for business, but that has also been pointed out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) security audit [in 2024]," he added.
Sanusi said the report recommended strengthening regulatory oversight, enhancing security measures, improving compliance with aviation laws, and ensuring that private charter operations are transparent and meet international standards.
After receiving the report, Keyamo, a former prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), promised to take measures to stop these criminal activities and emphasised the goal of creating a safer aviation environment in Nigeria, according to the newspaper Business Day.
Nigerian Flight Deck reported that Keyamo also revealed that the government is investigating a foreign commercial airline accused by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of aiding drug barons.
"These illegal operations are completely unregulated. Sometimes there isn't even a passenger manifest, it's that bad. We have logs and records of incidents involving this airline, including arrests of drug couriers. If this can happen with commercial airlines, imagine the risks with private jets," he commented.
