The NCAA noted that the Nigerian airspace is safe and secure, while assuring air travellers.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has stated that
investigations revealed that violations of some flights and their straying into
restricted airspace was as "a result of adverse weather."
The NCAA noted that the Nigerian airspace is safe and
secure, while assuring air travellers.
The "unknown aircraft" (DNP4) which flew over the
Presidential Villa in Aso Rock, Abuja, causing panic for government officials
was a Max Air flight.
The NCAA had affirmed that there was no security threat to
Aso Rock, the Nigeria's seat of power.
Earlier on Friday NCAA issued a stringent warning to all
aircraft operators after receiving a report from the office of the National
Security Adviser about an unknown aircraft flying over the Presidential Villa
(DNP4).
"The airline mentioned in this memo was Max Air flying into Abuja from Kano," a top source had confirmed.
In a fresh press statement issued by the regulatory agency,
and signed by the Acting Director-General, Capt Chris Najomo, the NCAA said,
"The NCAA firmly aligns with the statement from the Nigerian Airspace
Management Agency (NAMA) on the total radar coverage of Nigeria.
"In furtherance to this, the NCAA investigated two
recent cases of violations of the prohibited flight zones (DNP4) in Abuja
established that both violations comprised controlled flights in controlled
airspace, but strayed into restricted airspace as a result of adverse weather”.
The NCAA confirmed that NAMA had complete radar footage of
the two violations, with full details of the identities of the aircraft and
operators involved.
This it explained, was made possible only due to functional
primary and secondary surveillance radars in Abuja. Similar installations are
in Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt
"The NCAA states that the improvement of Nigeria’s
aviation infrastructure and radar coverage, is being backed up with five
additional MSSR stations at Obubbra, Ilorin, Talata Mafara, Maiduguri and
Numan, to augment the four existing radar centres to achieve total coverage of
the country."
