The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the licences of Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba, over a serious ValueJet pilot safety breach at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
A statement signed by Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the pilots were involved in a serious breach of aviation safety regulations on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
The NCAA noted in the statement that its preliminary findings suggest that the ValueJet pilot initiated departure procedures without mandatory clearance from ground control.
This ValueJet pilot safety breach endangered the lives of ground personnel and other airport users, in direct violation of civil aviation rules and internationally accepted operational safety standards.
The NCAA has emphasised its zero-tolerance stance on safety violations. The suspension of the pilot and co-pilot licences was carried out immediately, pending the outcome of a full-scale investigation.
The incident occurred at the domestic terminal of the Abuja airport and was promptly reported. The NCAA views this incident with utmost seriousness.
Consequently, the Authority has taken immediate enforcement action by suspending the licences of the Valuejet pilots with immediate effect. This suspension will remain in place pending the conclusion of a full investigation into the incident.
