Aminu Idris

‎‎The Coalition of Civil Society Organisation for Good Governance in Nigeria has urged Nigerians to support the Federal Government’s efforts to tackle insecurity and avoid politicising security challenges.

The Coalition’s Director of Programmes, Johnson Michael, made the call at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.

Michael also called on security agencies to investigate and prosecute activist Omoyele Sowore over alleged actions he claimed undermined national security.

He commended President Bola Tinubu and the Chief of Army Staff for expanding the Nigerian military and improving the welfare of personnel, describing the measures as critical to strengthening national security.

‎ According to him, the country’s armed forces and other security agencies have remained steadfast in safeguarding 

Our Reporter 

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has asked the House of Representatives to increase its share of the statutory five per cent aviation revenue pool from 22 per cent to 56 per cent.

The agency said the current funding formula can no longer sustain the cost of maintaining Nigeria’s air navigation infrastructure.

Managing Director of NAMA, Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar, made the appeal Thursday during a public hearing organised by the House Committee on Aviation.

“The existing allocation no longer reflects the scale of NAMA’s statutory responsibilities or the financial burden of keeping Nigeria’s airspace safe,” Umar said.

He explained that the proposed increase would not create a new levy but would redistribute the existing revenue pool to better support the country’s sole Air Navigation Service Provider.

“Long before a passenger boards an aircraft, NAMA’s personnel and systems are already at work. Flight plans must be processed, navigation aids maintained, surveillance available and controllers at their duty posts,” he said.

Umar said air navigation services are technology driven and operate round the clock, warning that delays in maintaining critical systems could undermine aviation safety.

“The cost of keeping Nigerian airspace safe has outgrown the existing funding formula,” he said, noting that NAMA spent over ₦43 billion in 2023 on personnel, capital projects and overheads.

He added that the agency’s navigation charge had remained at ₦11,000 per flight since 2008 despite rising costs of fuel, electricity, foreign exchange, equipment and specialised training.

“The dedication of our workforce has helped bridge that gap, but dedication is not a substitute for a sustainable funding system,” Umar stated.

The NAMA boss also urged lawmakers to harmonise conflicting provisions in aviation laws and recognise obstacle assessment and WGS-84 aeronautical surveys as chargeable technical services performed by the agency.

Meanwhile, the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU), Abuja asked the National Assembly to allocate 10 per cent of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge to the institution for aviation education, research and manpower development.

“AAAU occupies a unique position in Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem as the country’s specialised federal university dedicated to aviation, aerospace and allied disciplines,” Acting Vice-Chancellor Mustapha Abdullahi said.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives,Tajudeen Abbas had earlier said the 10th Assembly was committed to strengthening the financial framework of the aviation sector, while Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Abdullahi Idris Garba, said the proposed bills would improve safety, transparency and service delivery across the industry.

Agabi Israel 

Governor Bala Mohammed has commended security agencies for their successful operations against terrorists in Alkaleri Local Government Area, describing the military offensive as a major breakthrough in the state’s fight against insecurity.

Speaking on Thursday during a security meeting with heads of security agencies at the Government House, Bauchi, the governor praised the Nigerian Army, the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), vigilante groups and other security operatives for their gallantry and coordinated efforts.

He commended troops of the Nigerian Army’s 3 Division and the 33 Artillery Brigade for intelligence-led operations that dislodged terrorists from Mansur village and surrounding enclaves, dismantled their camps and neutralised several high-profile criminal elements.

According to him, the operation also paved the way for thousands of displaced residents to safely return to their ancestral communities.

Mohammed expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser and the Service Chiefs for supporting the operations that resulted in the military successes.

Despite the gains recorded, the governor warned that security agencies must not relax, noting that criminal groups displaced from neighbouring states were attempting to establish new bases in Bauchi.

He cited renewed security threats in Mingi, Ganjuwa, Toro, Gamawa, Darazo and Alkaleri local government areas, including kidnappings, banditry, farmer-herder clashes and cross-border criminal infiltration.

The governor directed security agencies to sustain the momentum of the Alkaleri operation and replicate similar offensives in other flashpoints across the state.

He also ordered increased joint patrols, intelligence-driven operations and aggressive clearance of criminal hideouts in forests, rural communities and border settlements to deny criminals freedom of movement.

Mohammed reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing logistics, operational support and improved infrastructure for security agencies to strengthen the fight against insecurity across the state.