PRESS STATEMENT

BAT-IG Hails Senate’s Aviation Safety Intervention, Says Action Validates Group’s Early Call for Runway Capacity

Abuja, November 11, 2026

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG) has welcomed the Senate’s intervention over the prolonged holding of commercial aircraft in Nigerian airspace to accommodate Very Important Persons (VIPs) and other security-related movements, describing the development as a validation of concerns and practical solutions earlier presented by the Group to the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

The Senate, during its sitting on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, raised concerns over the safety implications of keeping commercial aircraft airborne for extended periods because landing operations had been temporarily suspended for VIP movements. The lawmakers warned that prolonged holding patterns could increase fuel consumption, reduce available reserves and expose passengers and crew to avoidable aviation risks.

The Senate further urged the relevant aviation authorities to improve advance coordination and ensure that where restrictions are foreseeable, flight movements are managed from the point of origin through ground delays, revised departure slots and proper sequencing, rather than allowing aircraft to take off and subsequently remain airborne while awaiting clearance to land.

BAT-IG said the Senate’s position underscores the importance of a request it had already submitted to the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development before the issue became the subject of the latest legislative intervention.

On 4 November 2026, BAT-IG wrote to the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development requesting urgent consideration of additional runway capacity at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, including a dedicated runway for VIP and official government flights. The letter was formally received by the Office of the Honourable Minister on 4 November 2026.

In the letter, BAT-IG specifically urged the Ministry to undertake an urgent review of the airport’s existing runway capacity, assess the feasibility of an additional runway dedicated to VIP and official movements and establish a clear implementation plan with defined timelines. The Group also requested a response from the Ministry within 30 days and expressed its willingness to further engage the Ministry on the proposal.

Similarly, on 5 November 2026, the Group submitted a request concerning additional runway capacity at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, also proposing a dedicated runway for VIP and official government flights. The acknowledgement copy bears the Ministry’s receipt stamp dated 5 November 2026.

The Group said the timing of the Senate’s intervention demonstrates that the concerns it raised were not merely political commentary but a practical response to an identifiable policy and infrastructure gap.

BAT-IG noted that its letters were prompted by recurring disruptions associated with VIP flight movements alongside scheduled commercial operations, which can affect passengers, airline schedules and airport operations.

“At Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group, this is what we are good at: identifying policy gaps and proffering practical solutions to them.

“It is a good thing that at BAT Ideological Group, the policy gaps we identify and the practical solutions we proffer are now being seen and discussed at the highest level. It gives us confidence that we are on the right track and doing the right thing.

“This is an endorsement that we are not taking for granted.”

The Group stressed that its proposal was not aimed at undermining legitimate security arrangements for the President, VIPs or protected persons. Rather, it was designed to ensure that such movements are accommodated without unnecessarily disrupting commercial aviation or exposing passengers and airlines to avoidable operational risks.

BAT-IG had specifically argued that Nigeria’s major airports require increased runway capacity to cope with growing commercial, diplomatic and official air traffic demands.

In its November 4 letter, the Group noted that the pressure on runway infrastructure should be viewed as a long-term aviation planning issue, pointing to major international aviation hubs investing heavily in additional runway capacity. It cited the ongoing development of Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport, which is planned to have five runways, as an example of the importance of long-term aviation infrastructure planning.

The Group said the issue was particularly important at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria’s capital and a major hub for official movements, as well as Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the country’s major international aviation gateway.

According to BAT-IG, the Senate’s latest position reinforces the need for the aviation authorities to examine the structural solution alongside operational measures.

The Group therefore called for the Senate Committee on Aviation, the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to examine the proposal for additional runway capacity as part of a broader strategy to improve aviation safety and efficiency.

BAT-IG also commended the Senate for recognising that foreseeable restrictions should be properly communicated and managed before commercial aircraft depart their originating airports.

The Group said its position reflects its broader identity as a grassroots-driven sociopolitical, humanitarian and policy-advocacy organisation committed to good governance, grassroots mobilisation, policy support, youth empowerment, education advocacy, healthcare intervention and national unity in alignment with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It said its approach is centred on identifying policy and infrastructure gaps and developing practical, implementable solutions rather than merely drawing attention to existing challenges.

The Group said it would continue to identify policy and infrastructure gaps and present practical recommendations capable of supporting the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Signed:
Comrade Bamidele Atoyebi
Convenor,
Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG)