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Some private jets are used for money laundering, drug trafficking, says Keyamo

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Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, says some private jet owners use their aircraft for money laundering and drug trafficking.

Keyamo spoke on Thursday, during the inauguration of a ministerial task force committee on illegal private chartered operations and related matters in Abuja.

The minister said he had set a five-point agenda that would guide him and his team in discharging the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he assumed office.

He said the five-point agenda encapsulates safety, infrastructure, support for local operators, human capacity development and revenue generation.

Accordingly, he said the ministry has identified issues within the aviation industry “that we must tackle headlong”.

“It has come to my attention, through a series of disturbing reports, that the practice of illegal charter operations is thriving within the aviation industry, thereby undermining the efforts of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other regulatory bodies,” he said.

“These illicit activities have not only resulted in significant financial losses to the Federal Government but have also raised security and safety concerns as the operations of private aircraft owners have remained largely unchecked and unregulated.”

This, Keyamo said, has also resulted in using private aircraft for other illegal activities.

“Last week, the National Security Adviser wrote to us, alerting us of the spike in money laundering, drug trafficking and other illegal activities through the use of private aircraft in the country,” the minister said.

“It appears that Private Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) operators have become increasingly emboldened, continuing their illegal operations with the assistance of Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders who collect tolls and list these illegal charters under their AOCs.

“We have received alarming reports that some crew members have not attended mandatory simulator trainings for nearly three years and are flying with fraudulently-obtained renewed licenses.

“Many of these individuals are operating planes registered under PNCF but are conducting illegal charter operations with impunity.

KEYAMO CONSTITUTES COMMITTEE

To combat the illegal operators, the minister announced the immediate composition of a ministerial task force on illegal private charter operations and related matters.

He said some of the responsibilities of the task force include taking “inventory of all permit for non-commercial flights (PNCF) holders and air operator certificate (AOC) holders, to determine why the practice of illegal charters by PNCF holders persists in the country despite regulatory controls”.

The task force, according to the minister, was also created to “call in all professional licenses of pilots and crew in the country and determine their authenticity and validity, and to recommend to the Minister any additional measures to be taken by regulatory agencies to stem this ugly tide”.

He said the committee is expected to recommend appropriate penalties to be imposed by the regulatory agencies on defaulters and additional measures to monitor private aircraft operations in Nigeria.

The minister added that the members of the task force have been carefully selected from within the aviation industry and are people of high repute and integrity.

He named Ado Sanusi as chairman of the committee, Roland Iyayi, as vice-chairman, and acting director of air transport, aviation ministry as secretary.

Other members of the committee, he said, include Theresa Babayo, director of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Olayinka Oyesola, commander of the presidential air fleet; Daniel Quansah; Patrick Ogunlowo; and Obafemi Bajomo, Keyamo’s special assistant (SA).
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Two rescued as building under construction collapses in Abuja

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The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) says two people have been rescued from a collapsed building in Abuja.

In a statement on Saturday, Florence Wenegieme, FEMD acting director-general, said the building collapsed on Friday evening.

Wenegieme said the collapsed building was a duplex under construction located at Close 10, Drive 5, second gate of Prince and Princess Estate, Gudu District.

She said FEMD alerted the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the FCT fire service immediately after it received a distress call about the incident.

The FEMD acting director-general said the construction workers ran out of the building when they noticed that building was going to collapse.

She added that the two people rescued were in a detached bungalow behind the building when the incident happened.

“The trapped workers were rescued by the FEMD search and rescue team, who cut through the window protectors and pulled them out,” she said.

Emphasising construction safety, Wenegieme urged developers and homeowners to prioritize following building codes, including professional assessments of existing buildings before renovations begin and proper safety gear for workers.

She also called for insurance coverage for both the building and the workers.

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One dies in Third Mainland Bridge accident

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One person was confirmed dead in an accident that occurred on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos on Saturday morning.

The accident involved a mini truck (MUS 489 XS) and a Toyota Camry (KRD 470 JD).

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the accident was caused by excessive speeding during a downpour this morning,” the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority said in a statement.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, in the statement signed by Mr Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, said that three others were rescued at the accident scene.

He said that operatives of LASTMA responded swiftly to the accident, which occured near the Unilag waterfront, heading towards the Iyana-Oworonsoki area of Lagos.

Giwa said that despite the government’s ongoing campaign to educate motorists about speed limits, drivers continued to flout the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.

He urged both commercial bus drivers and private car owners to avoid exceeding speed limits on the Third Mainland Bridge and other roads throughout the state.

Giwa said that the deceased was promptly removed by State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) officials, while LASTMA cleared the accident vehicles to ensure smooth traffic flow on the bridge.

He extended his condolences to the family of the deceased and emphasised the importance of road safety.

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Turkey deports 103 Nigerians over expired visas, irregular migration

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Turkey has deported 103 Nigerians over migration-related issues.

Catherine Udida, director of migration affairs, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), received the deportees at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Friday.

Udida, who was represented by Tijani Ahmed, federal commissioner, NCFRMI, said the commission expected 110 deportees but received 103.

“Some of them have been in the deportation camp for some months, and now that they are here, we are hoping to follow up on all the allegations gathered in their profiling,” Udida said.

The director said some of the deportees alleged that their passports were seized.

“We are going to follow up with the Turkish authority because the passports are still the property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Udida said.

Arinze Stone, a deportee, said Turkish authorities arrested and detained him in a camp for about six months.

Stone said despite living in Turkey for some years, officials frustrated his resident permit renewal after the European Union (EU) started paying the Middle Eastern country for illegal immigrants.

“Each day, the European Union pays 120 euros per head of immigrants in the immigration camp,” NAN quoted Stone as saying.

“Ever since I had been in Turkey, I always had my resident permit renewed.

“It just got expired and the Turkish authority collected 700 euros from me for tax and insurance and then cancelled the renewal.”

Moses Emeh, who said he was arrested and put in a dungeon for 11 months and three weeks, alleged the same treatment.

“I was told that if I did not sign the deportation documents, I would have to stay in their custody for one year to two years, after which I could be released and given immigration documents to sign, then be reintegrated into the system. But, they never fulfilled that,” said Emeh who has a registered company in Turkey.

“I also know that occupying a territory without a permit is a crime, but mine was forcibly terminated twice, and I took the case to court. Since my case was already in court and the court was yet to preside over my case, I don’t think it is right for them to deport me.”

Bashir Garga, the north-central zonal coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), assured the returnees of the government’s readiness to support them through collaborative efforts of all relevant agencies.

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