By Kamil Opeyemi
The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Shuaibu Nuhu was on Wednesday on the orders of President Bola Tinubu over allegations of corruption.
The president said the decision was to allow what he called unfettered investigation into the allegations against the suspended DG.
Nuhu is being probed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alongside other senior officials in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority. In his place, the President named Capt. Chris Najomo as the Acting Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority immediately.
A statement by Ajuri Ngelale said the president had also approved the replacement of other heads of agencies under the Ministry of Aviation.
Ngelale said the action of the President was in line with his determination to bring world class standards to Nigerian Civil Aviation.
Others affected in the directive of the President include the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Kabir Yusuf Mohammed who was replaced with Mrs. Olubunmi Oluwaseun Kuku as the substantive Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
Also, the 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 while the 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.
The statement added that also affected is the Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu who was sacked and replaced with Prof. Charles Anosike as the substantive Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.
Also, the 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.
According to the statement, Tinubu approved the commencement of a 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,” It said