Some private jets owners in the Nigeria have been deploying their aircrafts for money laundering and drug trafficking, according to Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The minister made the remark during the inauguration of the ministerial task force committee to curb illegal chartered operations in the country on Thursday, in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Apart from drug trafficking and money laundering, Keyamo stated that private jets owners are also involved in other illicit crimes in the country.
Keyamo, however, did not mention the identities of those allegedly involved, but a few insist that ownership of private jets in the country cuts across private and public personalities.
According to checks by the magazine, there are more than 200 private jet owners in Nigeria as of January 2024.
These includes, politicians, businessmen, bankers and foreign firms, particularly, International Oil Companies, IOCs operating in the country.
Analysts however insist that most Nigerians claiming to own private jets are liars, that they only used hired private jets which they claim to be their own, to boost their ego and popularity.
Checks indicate that real private jets owners include, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, fromer Vice President Atiku Abubakar, fromer Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, Senator Ifeanyin Uba, Globalcom owner Mike Adenuga and Africa’s Richest Man Aliko Dangote.
Others include, oil mogul Femi Otedola, United Bank for Africa, UBA Chairman, Tony Elumelu, Chief Arthur Eze, Deji Adeleke, owner of Pacific Holdings and father of music star, David Adeleke aka Davido, amongst others.
They also include some General Overseers of Pentecostal churches in the country, including Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of the Christ Embassy, and Benin, Edo state-based Pastor Johnson Suleiman.
Speaking yesterday, Keyamo stated that the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, has alerted the federal government that the use of private jets to conduct illicit businesses has been on the rise, “unregulated and unchecked.”
The illicit use of private jet to commit crime, according to him, is done in conjunction with some unscrupulous aviation officials, the minister said, adding that a committee has been set up to tackle the menace in the country.
Keyamo said: “Last week, the National Security Adviser wrote to us, alerting us of the spike in money laundering, drug trafficking and other illegal activities through the use of private aircraft in the country.
“It appears that Private Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) operators have become increasingly emboldened, continuing their illegal operations with the assistance of Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders who collect tolls and list these illegal charters under their AOCs.”
