Governor Wamakko's plane diverted for safety - Ministry

Aviation Nigeria

The Ministry of Aviation in Abuja on Wednesday said that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on wednesday 11 June 2013, diverted an Aircraft carrying, Gov. Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State, for safety purposes

This is contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Aviation, Mr Joe Obi in Abuja.

The statement read: 

"A Donnier 328 aircraft carrying Gov. Wamakko and other passengers from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Sokoto airport was diverted to Kaduna airport for safety and security precaution measure."

"This followed the near breakdown of law and order at the Sokoto Airport by an unruly crowd of Wamakko's supporters who broke the fence on their way to the tarmac, to welcome the governor.

"Effort by security personnel to prevent the breach of security and movement into the prohibited and restricted areas of the airport was met with stiff resistance from the crowd.

"Sensing that the security and safety of the governor and other passengers is in real danger, NAMA decided to divert the aircraft to Kaduna Airport to restore normalcy at the airport," 

The statement noted that the governor and other passengers on board had since returned and landed safely at the airport, after the crowd had been restrained from entering the restricted zone.

Source: NAN

Kaduna Airport Remodelling to be completed in April.

Aviation Nigeria

The Kaduna Airport remodeling project will be completed in April, the General Manager, Corporate Communications of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Yakubu Dati has said.

The airport is among the first 11 airports scheduled for remodeling under the first phase of airports remodeling across Nigeria.

Dati, who inspected facilities at the airport said the work has advanced to about 80 percent and with the pace of work it will be ready for commissioning in three months.

He said the remodeling is part of strategies included in the Aviation Master Plan which includes; upgrade and development of dilapidated infrastructures, reformation of institutions, as well as the transformation of key airports into a network of domestic and international hubs.

Meanwhile operations at the airport has been shifted to the Hajj terminal, which was built under the administration of the Minister of Aviation, Princess Oduah and commissioned by the Sultan of 

Sokoto in December, 2011 pending the completion of construction at the airport.

On completion, the airport will form a major hub with the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, to boost the economy of the state as well as increase the nation’s GDP.