The Senate has warned that frequent restrictions on airport operations and commercial flights to accommodate the movements of Very Important Personalities (VIPs) could trigger a major aviation disaster.
Lawmakers raised the concern on Tuesday, urging aviation authorities and security agencies to review the practice and ensure that arrangements for VIP movements do not compromise the safety of other air travellers.
The senators expressed concern that commercial aircraft approaching their destinations were often forced to remain airborne for extended periods because of security restrictions linked to VIP movements.
They warned that keeping passenger aircraft circling in the air for up to an hour or longer could expose passengers and crew members to risks, including fuel exhaustion, adverse weather conditions, air traffic congestion and other operational emergencies.
The concerns followed an urgent motion moved by Senator Jibrin Isa, representing Kogi East, prompting the Senate to call for improved coordination among aviation regulators, airport authorities and security agencies.
While acknowledging the need to provide adequate security for the President and other designated public officials, the lawmakers insisted that such arrangements must not endanger ordinary air travellers.
In its resolutions, the Senate urged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to ensure proper advance coordination and notification of planned airspace restrictions to airline operators.
The chamber further directed that, where restrictions could not be avoided, aircraft yet to depart should be kept on the ground, while flight schedules and departure sequences should be adjusted.
The measure, according to the lawmakers, would prevent aircraft from taking off only to be forced into prolonged holding patterns while awaiting clearance to land.
The Senate also mandated its Committee on Aviation to engage relevant authorities on the matter and submit a report within two weeks.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Dike Plang, representing Plateau Central, drew on his experience in the aviation industry to highlight the dangers of poor flight scheduling and airspace management.
Plang said he worked with Kabo Air in 1996 as a station manager in Kano and Saudi Arabia, where he received training in ground operations.
He stressed that aviation operations depended heavily on accurate timing and effective coordination, arguing that airlines and airport authorities should receive adequate notice of planned VIP movements before commercial flights were cleared for departure.
The senator maintained that allowing an aircraft to depart for a destination when authorities already knew that a VIP movement would prevent it from landing as scheduled amounted to poor operational management.
He said flight departures and arrivals must be properly coordinated to avoid unnecessary delays and potential emergencies.
Plang also noted that although aircraft were required to carry sufficient reserve fuel to reach alternative airports in emergencies, the requirement should not be treated as justification for poor planning by aviation authorities.
