The Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said the committee, saddled with the responsibility of investigating illegal private jets, both in operations and the legality of their documents, has concluded its fact-finding, and its report is also ready.

Keyamo exclusively made this known to The PUNCH on Monday.

The minister had in June 2024 inaugurated an eight-man ministerial task force committee on “illegal private chartered operations and related matters” to address alleged money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities by private jet operators in Nigeria.

Keyamo stated that the move was part of an effort to address illicit activities causing financial losses to the Federal Government across airports in the country.

The task force members who were selected from within and outside the aviation industry were charged with the responsibility to take inventory of all private non-commercial flight holders and air operator certificate holders.

The minister charged the members to determine why the practice of illegal charters by PNCF holders persists in the country despite regulatory controls, insisting that the committee also scrutinise the legality of all professional licenses of pilots and crew in the country.

The minister, who had initially given a three-month window to the committee at the inauguration in June 2024, later said the duration was not enough to complete the task.

“They (the committee) sought an extension twice, and they have done very extensive work. They are about to submit their report now, but in the course of their work, they uncovered a lot, but I won’t let the cat out of the bag now. They also grounded a few private operators who were caught in the act during their work.

“We are going to make our report public, but the three months was not enough for them. This is to show you how enormous the work is, led by Captain Ado Sanusi as the Chairman and Captain Roland Iyayi as the Vice Chairman. So, we are expecting their report any moment from now. They actually sought my extension.”

But in Keyamo’s latest exclusive chat with The PUNCH, he said, “The report is ready. We are working on a convenient date for a formal presentation.”