THE House of Representatives has urged Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, to revoke airstrip licenses issued to individuals and organizations.
The resolution was passed by the lower legislative chamber during Wednesday’s plenary session following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance.
The motion was sponsored by Sulaiman Abubakar, a lawmaker representing the Gummi/Bukkuyum federal constituency in Zamfara State.
An airstrip is a runway or landing area for aircraft, typically located in rural or remote areas with limited facilities, primarily serving private planes, emergency landings, or military operations.
Earlier this month, Keyamo reportedly confirmed the approval of an airstrip for Canaanland—the site of Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, in Otta, Ogun State.
Presenting the motion, Abubakar referenced a 2014 incident involving a Nigerian aircraft detained in South Africa. Two Nigerians and an Israeli national were reportedly involved in an attempt to smuggle $9.3 million in cash on the chartered aircraft to purchase weapons.
Abubakar expressed concerns that Nigeria’s insecurity is exacerbated by the illegal importation of firearms and drugs, which are often difficult for security agencies to trace.
“This is compounded by the inability of our security agencies to identify the sources supplying weapons to insurgents, kidnappers, and separatists who have caused the deaths of thousands of Nigerians nationwide,” the lawmaker stated.
He argued that granting airstrip licenses to private individuals and organizations could facilitate the illegal importation of firearms and drugs, thus escalating issues like insurgency, kidnapping, and banditry, which harm the country’s socio-economic development.
The motion was approved via a voice vote led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The House directed the Ministry of Aviation to halt the issuance of airstrip licenses to private individuals and organizations and to withdraw any licenses already granted to enhance national security.
The committees on aviation and legislative compliance were tasked with ensuring the implementation of this directive.
Credit: The Cable
