Article Summary
- The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has ordered all airlines operating at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja to temporarily relocate their aircraft to alternate airports.
- The order is due to security concerns surrounding the presidential inauguration ceremony in 20 days, and the affected airlines have until May 22, 2023, to comply.
- The memo from FAAN asked aircraft owners to comply with the directive and stated that the temporary relocation was in line with international best practices.
Barely twenty days to the swearing-in of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), has ordered airline owners to temporarily relocate their aircraft from the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja to alternate aerodromes.
A memo sent to all airlines with the reference number: FAAN/ABJ/NAIA/RGM (CN)/AM/1000/VOL 1, dated May 8, 2023, signed by the Regional General Manager, Abuja Airport, Mr. Kabir Mohammed and obtained by Nairametrics indicated that the relocation was necessary for security reasons.
The agency issued the affected airline owners till May 22, 2023 to relocate their aircraft away from the GAT.
The reason for this action
The memo which was titled ‘Notice Of Temporary Relocation Of Aircraft At GAT To Alternate Airports’, further noted that the presidential inauguration was a highly-security event. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety and security of all parties involved, it had become necessary to temporarily relocate all aircraft parked at the GAT to alternate airports.
FAAN stated that the relocation order is in line with the international best practices and expected all aircraft owners parked at the GAT to comply with the directive. The memo added:
- “We understand that this may cause some inconvenience for you, however, the safety and security of all individuals involved in this event are our priority. We believe that this temporary relocation is the best course of action in line with best international practices.
- “If you have any concerns or questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.”
