Air force denies preventing Southern, Middle Belt Forum from landing at Makurdi airport

The Nigerian Air Force(NAF) says there is absolutely no iota of truth in the allegations that it prevented a chartered flight from landing at its Base in Makurdi on Monday for political reasons.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Southern and Middle Belt Forum had on Monday alleged that NAF denied them landing rights in Makurdi to attend a middle belt summit on restructuring.

NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya, said in a statement on Tuesday that there was a clearly established procedure for non-NAF aircraft to operate into and out of Makurdi.

”The attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has sadly been drawn to allegations that it prevented a chartered flight from landing at its Base in Makurdi on July 16, 2018, for political reasons.

”There is absolutely no iota of truth in the allegations that NAF’s decision was politically motivated.

”To start with, the runway at NAF Base Makurdi is not a dual user facility but one constructed strictly for military purpose.

”Accordingly, in line with global best practices, there is a clearly established procedure for non-NAF aircraft to operate into and out of the runway in Makurdi, and that procedure is well known to all qualified pilots in Nigeria.

”Indeed, many airlines had in the past adhered to the stipulated procedure and therefore successfully landed and taken off from the NAF runway in Makurdi.

”The procedure includes a written request to NAF Headquarters, Abuja for permission for a specific aircraft to operate into its airfield on a specific date and time, including the names of passengers and other necessary details.

”In this case, there was indeed a request for permit by the Benue State Government, dated July 16, 2018, for Aircraft with Registration Number 5N-FCT to land at NAF Base Makurdi on July 16, 2018."

He said that requests for landing permits were expected to reach NAF Headquarters not later than two days before the desired landing date.

According to Adesanya, the NAF, however, went out of its way to expedite the process and accordingly granted the permit for aircraft with Registration Number 5N-FCT to land at NAF Base Makurdi on July 16.

”However, at about 5 p.m. on 16 July 2018, the NAF was verbally informed that there was a need to change the aircraft for which permission had already been issued, reportedly because the aircraft had developed snags.

”The NAF, therefore, asked for another written request, in line with the established procedure."

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He said that “as at date”, the NAF Headquarters is yet to receive a written request for the replacement aircraft with Registration Number 5N-IZY to land at its Base in Makurdi.

”For the avoidance of doubts, the NAF does not concern itself with political or religious affiliations of individuals/organisations in granting landing rights at its airfields.

”The issue of security and safety remains uppermost particularly while noting that the ongoing Operation WHIRL STROKE is largely being coordinated from NAF Base Makurdi, with fighter aircraft flying in and out of the Base.

”The NAF remains a highly professional and apolitical organisation that would rather focus on its military duties. Consequently, the NAF wishes to implore all concerned to desist from dragging the name of the NAF into partisan politics,” he said.