Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, claims that some private planes are used for money laundering, drug trafficking, and other criminal activities.
The Ministry of Aviation in Abuja stated this on Thursday.
Keyamo announced the formation of a Ministerial Taskforce Committee devoted to reducing illegal charter activities in the country’s aviation sector.
The minister underlined that these illegal operations have cost the sector billions of dollars while posing substantial security risks.
Keyamo pointed out that specific individuals involved in these illegal practices had obtained permits for operating non-commercial aircraft but subsequently violated their licenses’ terms.
Addressing the committee members, the minister directed them to compile a comprehensive list of all non-commercial flight operators, investigate the validity of their professional licenses, and recommend appropriate sanctions for any airlines involved in illicit activities.
The eight-member task force, chaired by Ado Sanusi, CEO of Aero Contractors, has been given a three-month deadline to present its findings to the minister.
