Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has disclosed that the pilot and crew of the private aircraft that landed on a road in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, are still being detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) as investigations continue.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, the minister described the incident as a serious security breach and said the outcome of the investigation would be presented to President Bola Tinubu.
“As I speak with you, it was a security breach, and we are treating it as such. The pilot and the crew are still in the DSS detention till today going through rigorous questioning,” Keyamo said.
The minister also assured Nigerians that the country’s airspace remains safe, noting that Nigeria recently achieved its highest-ever score in the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) safety audit.
According to him, Nigeria recorded a 91.4 per cent rating under the current administration, describing it as the country’s best performance since independence.
“Our airspace is very safe. For the first time in history, we scored 91.4 per cent this year in terms of our safety and oversight standards,” he stated.
Keyamo also revealed that plans are underway to construct a superhighway behind the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, linking the airport corridor to the Mafoluku area through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the Lagos State Government.
He explained that the project would improve road connectivity and open up new areas of Lagos for development.
The minister further addressed concerns over debts owed by domestic airlines, saying the government had begun enforcing repayment while giving operators flexible payment arrangements.
He disclosed that one airline alone owes the government ₦14 billion, adding that several operators have started paying part of their outstanding debts following recent engagements with the ministry.
“Many of them paid about 10 per cent of their debts,” Keyamo said.
He stressed that while the government understands the financial challenges facing airlines, aviation agencies also require adequate funding to maintain airport infrastructure, navigational services and other critical operations.
