The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified that a recent directive to airlines to avoid flying over prohibited zones does not imply a security breach at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
According to Chris Najomo, acting director-general of NCAA, the letter sent to aircraft operators on April 16 was a routine reminder to exercise caution around restricted areas.
“There was no security threat to Aso Rock. The reason the authority wrote to those airlines is because the plane was identified as being from an airline so it was a routine reminder or advisory to say look be careful around restricted areas and all of that,” Najomo said.
Najomo explained that the document was not leaked or a product of an investigation, but a public letter available on the NCAA website.
He stated that similar incidents have occurred globally, including near the White House, due to factors like weather conditions, weight, and flight balance.
He said, “So someone is coming out and presenting it as though they have carried out some investigative work, as though it’s a secret document,” he said.
“If you simply Google search, it will show that similar incidents have happened even around the White House.
“Sometimes the way planes take off from the airport, for certain reasons, weight, weather and the rest, sometimes they stray before they achieve balance mid-air and by the time they achieve that balance, they might be finding themselves around the villa.”
