Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has said private jet operators unlicensed to operate commercial services are causing the Federal Government a huge loss of revenue.
Keyamo, who described the practice as economic sabotage, also warned private aircraft operators unlicensed to fly commercially to desist from the act, saying he is coming for them.
The minister gave the warning on Newsnight, a Channels TV programme, further arguing that in terms of passengers’ safety, their regulation is low.
His words: “Almost all these private jets are operating commercially resulting in a huge loss of revenue for federal government because the licence to fly a private aircraft privately and the one to fly it commercially is so much.
“When it is commercial, the money paid to federal government is so much. So, people now take licenses from us to say I have just bought a private jet and I want to be using it for my business or to fly my friends and family, and we give them at a very low fee.
“However, the moment they are given, they carry passengers all over Nigeria doing six or eight flights a day. This is a notice to them on camera, I am coming for them because the president has given us a marching order, and we are not going to allow it.
“First, in terms of passengers’ safety, the regulation is low. Second, it is economic sabotage and I won’t allow that to happen. People who are my friend or the president’s friends, we will come down on them and, perhaps, ground all their planes. We will come very hard on them. In a matter of days or weeks, we are going to come down on them because we have to raise revenue for federal government, ensure that the laws are kept and ensure the safety of Nigerians.”