Lawmakers to review Nigerian aviation procedures
The Senate Committee on Aviation has said it would engage regulatory agencies, airline operators, security agencies, and public interest groups in an extensive review of aviation procedures to close any procedural gaps that could undermine safety and professionalism in the sector.
It would also investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged unruly behaviours of some passengers at the nation’s airports and proffer possible solutions to curb future occurrences.
Chairman of the Committee, Buhari Abdulfatai (APC, Oyo North), disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
“In the exercise of its constitutional powers, the Committee will be engaging key regulatory bodies, operators, security agencies, and public interest groups to establish the facts, review existing procedures, and ensure that any necessary corrective measures are swiftly implemented” he said.
In recent weeks, Nigerian airports have witnessed several embarrassing scenes involving passengers, some of whom boasted of their political influence and connections with government authorities.
These incidents, caught on video and widely circulated on social media, generated public discourse about discipline, passenger rights and the enforcement of aviation safety regulations in the country.
One of the most publicised cases occurred in June when Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, was seen confronting Air Peace staff members over the airline’s handling of a scheduled Lagos–Abuja flight.
While Air Peace accused him of disrupting operations after missing a 6:30 a.m. flight, Mr Oshiomhole, a former Edo Governor, denied the claim, insisting he was standing up for passengers denied boarding despite adhering to check-in rules.
Two months later, in August, a Nigerian musician, Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1, was involved in another incident at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Kwam 1 allegedly defied airline instructions by insisting on consuming alcohol on board a ValueJet aircraft, and at one point attempted to physically prevent the aircraft from taking off.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) suspended the pilots involved and banned KWAM 1 from flying for six months.
The situation was later resolved after the musician apologised. The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo intervened, reducing the ban to one month and announcing that KWAM 1 would be engaged as an ambassador for airport security protocol awareness.
