Photo: President Bola Tinubu
Tinubu fires FAAN, NAMA, NIMET, NCAT CEOs, orders NCAA’s probe
A major ‘earthquake’ shook the aviation sector on Wednesday, following the sweeping sacking by President Bola Tinubu of all the chief executive officers of the nation’s aviation agencies.
This follows the announcement by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, of Tinubu’s sacking of the Managing Directors of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA); and the Directors-General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).
The President also suspended Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu and ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct an “unfettered investigation” into allegations against him.
According to Ngelale, Capt. Chris Najomo has been appointed to assume the role of Acting Director-General of the NCAA.
Tinubu has also sacked and replaced the Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), pending the appointment of a permanent Rector.
Ngelale explained that the earthquake-like shake-up aimed to uphold the safety, convenience, and comfort of Nigerians as the foremost priorities for aviation leadership.
He said the President was livid over the high cost of underperformance, in the aviation industry and directed aviation sector regulators to immediately establish “world-class policy design, implementation and regulatory frameworks” in line with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Ngelale added that all the appointments took immediate effect.
The statement reads in full as follows:
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT TINUBU APPROVES LEADERSHIP CHANGES IN THE AVIATION AND AEROSPACE DEVELOPMENT SECTOR
In line with his determination to bring world class standards to Nigerian Civil Aviation in consumer protection and the promotion of the wellbeing of Nigerian passengers and other sectoral stakeholders, President Bola Tinubu has approved the suspension, removal, and replacement of the following Chief Executive Officers under the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development:
(1) Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Kabir Yusuf Mohammed has been removed from office and replaced with Mrs. Olubunmi Oluwaseun Kuku as the substantive Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
(2) Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr. Tayib Adetunji Odunowo has been removed from office and replaced with Engr. Umar Ahmed Farouk as the substantive Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.
(3) Director-General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Engr. Akinola Olateru has been removed from office and replaced with Mr. Alex Badeh Jr. as the substantive Director-General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
(4) Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu has been removed from office and replaced with Prof. Charles Anosike as the substantive Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.
(5) Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Capt. Alkali Mahmud Modibbo has been removed from office and replaced with Mr. Joseph Shaka Imalighwe as the Acting Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), pending the appointment of a substantive Rector, in accordance with Section 13(2) of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology Act, 2022.
(6) Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Shuaibu Nuhu has been suspended from office to enable the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct an unfettered investigation into the activities of the suspended Director-General and other senior officials in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority. Capt. Chris Najomo assumes office as the Acting Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority immediately.
Furthermore, President Bola Tinubu approves the commencement of a diligent process to be conducted by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development to recruit a substantive Vice-Chancellor and other principal officers of the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU).
The President anticipates that the new leadership across this critical sector will uphold the safety, convenience, and comfort of the Nigerian people as primary and sacrosanct in all of their administrative activities.
Due to the high cost of underperformance in the sector, the President demands the immediate establishment of world-class policy design, implementation, and regulatory frameworks to reposition the sector in alignment with his Renewed Hope Agenda.
All of the above-mentioned directives of the President take immediate effect.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
December 13, 2023
