The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged enhanced surveillance of private wings at Nigerian airports, describing them as “hotbeds for illicit financial activities.”
Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, made the call during a meeting with the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo. Olukoyede highlighted the Commission’s readiness to collaborate with the NCAA on tackling non-remittance by airlines, illicit financial flows, and fraudulent ticketing systems, which he said are often exploited by foreign carriers.
According to Olukoyede, the EFCC will designate senior officers to work with the NCAA on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for joint investigations, intelligence sharing, and compliance monitoring. “Olukoyede assured the NCAA of EFCC’s support in safeguarding the Nigerian aviation sector from fraud and economic sabotage,” the statement read.
Captain Najomo, in turn, appealed for EFCC’s intervention to address economic and financial crimes in aviation. He pointed out that fraudulent practices in areas such as aircraft purchases, leasing arrangements, foreign maintenance contracts, and procurement of safety infrastructure pose risks to both safety oversight and investor confidence.
Najomo also raised concerns about the non-remittance of the mandatory five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charge (CSC) by some commercial airlines, stating that underreporting, ticketing manipulation, and fund diversion undermine the NCAA’s regulatory capacity. He further identified illegal charter operations masquerading as private flights, emphasizing the need for EFCC’s financial intelligence capabilities to detect and curb such fraud.
The call comes weeks after the EFCC exposed a “Promo” scam offering a 50% discount on tickets from a leading foreign airline, which deceived customers into downloading an app and making token payments, only for funds to be diverted into an account at an unnamed microfinance bank.
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