Prior to the new government’s anticipated May 29, 2023,inauguration, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has ordered the immediate transfer of all aircraft stationed at the General Aviation Terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
According to FAAN, removing the parked planes at the Abuja airport was necessary to improve airport security for the upcoming presidential inauguration.
Numerous private jets owned by affluent Nigerians, businesses, and airlines are parked at the GAT facility in Abuja.
The FAAN Regional Manager, Kabir Mohammed, issued a circular with the relocation instruction on May 8, 2023, addressed to aircraft operators.
Stating,”This is to alert you of the need to temporarily relocate your aircraft to alternative airports owing to the impending Presidential Inauguration scheduled for May 29, 2023, according to the circular with reference number: FAAN/ABJ/NAIA /RGM/NC/AM/1000/VOl-1.”
“Since the Presidential Inauguration is a high-security event, it has become necessary to temporarily move all aircraft parked at the GAT to other airports in order to assure the safety and security of all parties concerned. In order to accomplish this, kindly transfer your aircraft by May 22, 2023, at the latest.”
A former managing director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the CEO of Top Brass Aviation, Capt Roland Iyayi, reacted to the development by expressing concern that the majority of the aircraft parked at the GAT terminal at the Abuja airport are unusable.
He stated that it might be challenging to relocate them from the location as a result.
“The majority of the parked aircraft cannot fly, therefore if FAAN is requesting that planes be relocated, it would imply that they know something that we do not. I don’t think it’s conceivable because the most of the parked aircraft are not fully operational. How would you transfer them then?”
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