The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has issued a stern warning to airlines, threatening to impose severe sanctions on those that enter restricted areas in the country’s airspace.
The aviation authority issued this warning after receiving a notification from the Office of the National Security Adviser, which reported an unauthorized aircraft sighting over the presidential villa.
As a result, the NCAA issued a warning to airline operators in Nigeria, sending a formal letter to inform them of the new guidelines and regulations.
The letter read partly, “The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority wishes to refer to Part 8.8.1.21 of Nig.CARs which states that ‘No person must operate an aircraft in a prohibited area or in a restricted area, the particulars of which have been duly published, except in accordance to the condition of the restriction or by permission of the State over whose territory the areas are established.”
The letter further stated that such violations shall be liable to sanction, persecution or both by the authority.
The NCAA also warned that any aircraft that enters the restricted airspace without authorization may face severe penalties.
In the letter, the authority urged all aircraft owners and operators to ensure that their crew members obtain detailed weather briefings before flight and strictly comply with air traffic control instructions to prevent unauthorized entry into restricted or prohibited airspace.
