Illegal Operations? Angola & Nigeria Govts In Talks Over Impounded Aircraft
The Federal Government and its Angola counterparts are in talks over the impounded aircraft of the latter for operating illegally in Nigeria despite restrictions placed on international travel. The aircraft, a Boeing 777 with the registration number: D2TEH belonging to TAAG Angola was on Wednesday impounded by the Nigerian Government at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos for allegedly operating from its base into Nigeria with passengers onboard and had also planned to evacuate passengers from the country under the guise of essential flight services.
A source close to the Ministry of Aviation confided in our correspondent that the aircraft flew into Nigeria without the requisite and mandatory approvals from concerned authorities, but the crew of the aircraft claimed that it landed in the country to evacuate Angolan citizens in Nigeria even without prior authorization to do so.
But, it was gathered that the pilot of the aircraft insisted it had the permission to land in Nigeria in case of emergency. As at the time of filing this report, the aircraft was still parked at the E-Wing of the Lagos airport. However, a source close to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said that a letter emanating from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) ON Thursday at 7pm had released the aircraft to return to base.
Besides, it was learnt that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was in receipt of the same letter. However, the TAAG Angola flight crew may have believed that it had been permitted to land in Lagos, as our correspondent learned that the agency that facilitated the flight assured the pilot that it would have secured approval before the aircraft would arrive Nigeria’s airspace.
The source said: “We allow flights that may not have the approval to land for two instances. One, Air Traffic Controllers do not have Ministerial or NCAA approvals; so what controllers do is to ask the pilot whether he has the approval to land and if he says, affirm, you have to allow him to land by giving him the support to do so.”
“Further questions may distract him, but you can also ask him to give you the registration number of the aircraft and you cross-check it with registration department, if time permits; otherwise, you have to allow him to land but you explain to him that if he lands without approval he would pay the penalty, which is about $20, 000.”
“The second instance flight is allowed to land is if the pilot declares emergency. In that case, what is important is safety of human lives. So you have to allow the aircraft to land,” the Air Traffic Control source said. However, when our correspondent contacted Mr. James Odaudu, the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Aviation, he declined to comment on the development.
