The Federal Government is considering shutting down General Aviation Terminal (GAT) Abuja due to reports of illegal criminal activities.
The GAT terminal, dedicated to private jet owners and charter services, has allegedly become a hub for money laundering and trafficking.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, received a report from a ministerial task force on illegal charter operations.
Keyamo stated that private jet operators misuse the Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) to conduct illegal transactions and evade regulations.
He emphasized that tackling illegal charter operations is critical for national security and must be urgently addressed without compromise.
Commending the task force’s efforts, he assured that the ministry would implement reforms to prevent further criminal activities.
Chairman of the Ministerial Task Force, Captain Ado Sanusi, identified regulatory loopholes, oversight weaknesses, and aviation security risks as major concerns.
The report estimated that unregulated private jet operations have caused a ₦120 billion revenue loss to the government over ten years.
Sanusi revealed that 90 percent of criminal activities at Nigerian airports occur at GAT Abuja, according to an ICAO security audit.
The task force recommended an immediate shutdown, restructuring, and reopening of GAT to curb illegal activities and enhance airport security.
Keyamo pledged to submit the report to the Presidency and ensure full implementation of necessary aviation security reforms.
He also confirmed an ongoing investigation into a foreign airline accused of assisting drug barons in criminal operations within Nigeria.
