Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has fired back at Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, saying the former Abia governor is simply seeking media attention.
Kalu had earlier alleged that some Nigerian pilots and cabin crew members engage in substance abuse.
Reacting to the claim, Keyamo dismissed it as reckless, baseless, and politically driven.
In a statement titled “Leadership, Responsibility, and the Recklessness of Words Setting the Record Straight on Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s Aviation Allegations,” the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, said the remarks were dangerous and could create unnecessary fear among air travelers.
“It is one thing to call for higher standards; it is another to make wild claims without a shred of evidence. The Senator is just desperately in need of media attention,” the statement read.
READ ALSO: ‘Pilots Smoke Indian Hemp’, NCAA Slams Orji Kalu Over Allegations
The minister maintained that Kalu’s remarks discredited Nigeria’s aviation industry and unfairly targeted professionals who work tirelessly to protect passengers.
The statement also drew attention to Kalu’s own history in the aviation sector, recalling the rise and eventual collapse of his airline, Slok Air, which was launched in 1996.
Although the airline was financed from Nigeria, it operated mainly from Banjul International Airport in The Gambia and shut down in 2008 due to financial and managerial problems.