The ministerial task force responsible for investigating alleged illegal private charter operations has announced that its probe will commence on Thursday.
Vice Chairman Roland Iyayi revealed that the investigation will begin with an interview phase. “We will be inviting them in starting next Thursday for interviews, which will continue throughout the following week. This will help us assess their actions or inactions. Until we engage with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and local operators, we are in the interviewing phase,” he stated.
Iyayi noted that formal invitations for the interviews have yet to be sent, but specific entities suspected of illegal activities have already been identified. “We haven’t dispatched the invites yet, but we do have a list of suspected illegal operators. We will invite them to answer specific questions, which is where we currently stand,” he explained.
In June, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo inaugurated this task force to address illegal private charter operations. He emphasized the importance of taking an inventory of all private non-commercial flight holders and air operator certificate holders. This initiative was spurred by multiple complaints regarding money laundering and drug smuggling, alongside concerning security reports from national agencies.
The task force has a three-month deadline to complete its report and submit it to the ministry. According to the minister, the committee aims to understand why illegal charters by Private Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) holders continue despite existing regulatory controls.
