The House of Representatives has boldly called on the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace to halt the issuance of airstrip licenses to private individuals and organizations, citing pressing security concerns. This decision came after Rep. Sulaiman Gumi (APC-Zamfara) pushed a motion during a plenary session in Abuja that has implications for both aviation policy and national security.
The urgency behind this call became clear as the House also demanded the withdrawal of any previously granted approvals, sending a strong message about prioritizing the safety of the nation over the convenience of private air travel.
Gumi’s motion highlighted a particularly eyebrow-raising example: the Federal Government recently granted an airstrip approval for Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, located at Canaanland in Ota, Ogun State. This revelation came to light when Bishop David Oyedepo, the church’s founder, boasted to his congregation about the approval during a service.
Gumi also didn’t shy away from reminding his colleagues of a dark chapter in Nigerian aviation history. He recalled a scandal from September 2014, when a prominent religious figure was allegedly linked to a private jet caught smuggling $9.3 million in cash to South Africa for arms purchases. That jet was seized by South African authorities, revealing a troubling connection between religious institutions and potential criminal activity. It’s hard to forget that two Nigerians and an Israeli were aboard the flight, stirring fears about who really benefits from these private airstrips.
With the nation grappling with severe security challenges, including the illegal importation of firearms and drugs, Gumi warned that allowing private airstrips could exacerbate these issues. He stated, “We are faced with the inability of our security agencies to pinpoint the source of supply of weapons to insurgents, kidnappers, and separatists that have massacred thousands of Nigerians across the country.”
The Speaker of the House, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, took Gumi’s concerns seriously and has tasked the Committees on Aviation and Legislative Compliance to ensure adherence to this new directive. In a country already overwhelmed by insurgency, kidnapping, and banditry, the decision to halt private airstrip licenses could be seen as a long-overdue step toward protecting national security.
