The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has imposed a fine of N11m on a British firm, Gama Aviation, for allegedly flying its Bombardier Global Express plane into and within Nigeria illegally.
The affected company has consequently paid N7m fine to the NCAA and another $20,000 (N3.9m) to the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency.
Following the payment of the fines, the Nigerian aviation regulator on Tuesday said it had released the aircraft to leave the country for the United Kingdom.
The NCAA had on Monday said it impounded the Bombardier jet for allegedly carrying out illegal flights in the country.
The Acting General Manager, Public Affairs, NCAA, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, said following the agency’s investigation of the illegal operation of the firm, a letter of sanction was written to the operator into the aircraft as regards the sanctions imposed on it.
The NCAA letter read, “In the light of the above, you are hereby sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of section 1 .3.3A and Section B of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCAR) 2009 and you are required to pay within seven days on the date of receiving this letter the sum of N7m, being the total civil penalty for the above violation.”
Adurogboye said in line with the NCAR, the aircraft was released after paying the necessary fine.
He recalled that the plane had been on ground at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja since September 10 when it landed in the country.
The NCAA spokesman hinted that the second aircraft, an Embraer 135 with registration marks XA-MHA, had not been released because the owners had not paid the fine imposed on it for illegally operating in the Nigerian airspace.
He stated that the aircraft was still on ground at the Abuja airport.
On the security implication of the infractions by the two aircraft, Adurogboye said that the NCAA was working closely with other security agencies at the airport.
“There is no airspace that is immune to violation. We normally have security meetings where all the agencies discuss security matters. We need NAMA and other agencies to check the violation of the airspace,” Adurogboye added.
