The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended two ValueJet pilots after a serious breach of aviation safety regulations was reported at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
According to an official statement released on Wednesday by Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, the incident occurred on Tuesday, August 5.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the aircraft, under the command of Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba, began departure procedures without receiving the required pre-departure clearance.
“This reckless action endangered the safety of ground personnel and other airport users,” the NCAA said. The agency described the act as a “grave violation” of both national aviation regulations and international safety protocols.
As a result, the licences of both pilots have been suspended with immediate effect, pending the outcome of a full investigation.
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The incident reportedly occurred at the Domestic Terminal of the Abuja airport, drawing concern from airport authorities and prompting swift intervention from regulators.
The NCAA emphasized its commitment to upholding the highest safety standards, stating, “The authority views this incident with utmost seriousness and will ensure full accountability.”
ValueJet has not yet issued a public response at the time of this report.
The aviation regulator urged all airline operators and flight crews to strictly adhere to all operational protocols to prevent avoidable safety risks.