‘No security breach at Aso Rock’ — NCAA addresses letter to airlines on restricted zones

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says a warning issued to airlines against flying over prohibited zones does not translate to a breach of security at the Aso Rock.

On Friday, reports claimed that the authority would sanction airline owners and operators for flying into restricted areas in the country.

Quoting a letter from the NCAA dated April 16, addressed to all aircraft operators, the reports claimed the action was taken following a concern raised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

Speaking to TheCable on Friday, Chris Najomo, acting director-general of NCAA, said the directive was not new.

“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.

He said the document was neither leaked nor a product of an investigation.

Najomo said the document is valid and “from the NCAA to all operators”.

“We call it an ‘all operators letter’. It is stated clearly in the header and it is a public document on our website,” he said.

“Anybody can go there to find it there. And there was nothing out of normal routine about that letter and the events that necessitated us writing it.”

Najomo added that the document is available for public consumption. 

“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.”

Najomo said airlines did not in any way breach security at the Aso Rock.