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The Senate has directed its Committee on Aviation to convene an urgent meeting with relevant authorities over disruptions to commercial flight operations caused by movements of Very Important Personalities (VIPs).
The directive followed concerns raised by lawmakers about prolonged delays and restrictions imposed on commercial flights to accommodate VIP movements, which they warned could endanger passengers and crew.
The issue came up during Tuesday’s plenary after Senator Isah Jibril moved a motion highlighting the potential dangers associated with the disruptions.
Contributing to the debate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio recounted his experience as governor of Akwa Ibom State, when he spent almost three hours stranded in an airport shuttle bus while waiting for a presidential flight to take off.
Akpabio also questioned the timing and coordination of presidential security arrangements, noting that airport operations were sometimes restricted long before the President’s actual departure.
Senator Abdul Ningi also shared his experience, recalling how a flight scheduled to last 45 minutes from Kano kept him airborne for about two and a half hours because of restrictions linked to VIP movements.
The lawmakers expressed concern that commercial aircraft could be forced to remain in the air for extended periods while waiting for VIP flights to depart, describing the situation as a potential threat to aviation safety.
Akpabio further warned that such delays could become more dangerous during the approaching harmattan season, when poor weather conditions and fuel limitations could increase the risks faced by aircraft.
Following the debate, the Senate mandated its Committee on Aviation to meet with relevant aviation authorities and other stakeholders to develop practical measures to address the problem.
The lawmakers also called for clear guidelines on the categories of public officials entitled to airport and airspace restrictions, stressing the need to ensure that VIP movements do not compromise the safety of commercial flight operations.
