Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has said that Festus Keyamo the Minister of aviation and aerospace development and Chris Najomo, Acting Director of General Civil Aviation were pivoted to Nigeria’s 71.04 per cent score during the recently concluded International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) conducted Universal Security Audit Programme-Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA) in the country’s aviation industry.

He affirmed that the duo pivoted to the ICAO’s 71.04%  rating following their leadership skills and dexterity in mobilizing manpower and resources to ensure all open gaps were closed else Nigeria would have scored 30 per cent in the outcome.

The NCAA spokesman described as mischievous comments by commentators that both the Minister and DG, of CAA were responsible for the allegedly poor ratings the country achieved affirming that both came into office barely months ago and when to work immediately to improve on the deteriorating infrastructures and poor remunerations of workers they met on ground.

Achimugu said “Six months ago, we met a dilapidated industry with poor infrastructure. The security and safety issues did not start in the last six months. Had it not been for the tireless efforts of the Honourable Minister and the DGCA, what we met on the ground would not have scored 30% in the audit.”

“Going by what was on the ground when Keyamo and Najomo assumed office, the current score is a substantially good showing, a miracle if I must say. The narrative being pushed out is just part of the larger strategy to push out Keyamo and Najomo from office. It is the handwork of paid mercenaries who have just one task.”

He affirmed that the ICAO auditors praised the authority’s performance during their final briefing at the NCAA, adding that they even mentioned a scenario where they complained about an absent infrastructure but, to their surprise, it had been made available the very next day.

“They said that only Nigeria moves at such a pace in the face of criticism. If the ICAO experts were pleased, who are these puff puff experts to try to deceive the people?”

Speaking further, the Director explained “We have actual Intel about a media team being commissioned to cause continuous chaos until Keyamo is either removed or moved elsewhere because certain people want to take back ownership of the contracts they were busy allocating themselves and family members while critical infrastructure was growing dilapidated.

“We will resist every attempt to deceive the Nigerian people.”

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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