The Federal Government is considering shutting down the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja due to reports of illegal activities, including money laundering, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.
The GAT is a hub for private jet owners and charter services, and the government has received reports that the VIP section of the airport has become a hotspot for these illicit activities.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, stated that the issue of illegal charter operations has become endemic in the aviation sector, and that the government will not hesitate to shut down the GAT if necessary. Keyamo said, “If we have to shut down GAT, we will do so, in order to bring some sanity to aircraft charter services in the country”.
The government has also identified regulatory weaknesses and loopholes in the permit system for non-commercial flights, which have contributed to the problem. The Ministerial Task Force on Illegal Charter Operations has recommended that the GAT be shut down, reorganized, and reopened for business, and that the government publish a list of legal permit holders to curb illegal operators.
Additionally, the government is investigating a foreign commercial airline accused of abetting drug trafficking, and Keyamo noted that if commercial airlines can be involved in such activities, private jet owners are even more likely to be complicit.