Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has vehemently denied allegations suggesting plans to relocate a firefighting simulator from the Nigerian College of Technology in Zaria, Kaduna State, to Lagos.
In a statement released on March 3, 2023, by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, via Keyamo’s official X account, the ministry refuted the claims, branding them as the handiwork of mischief-makers aiming to disrupt national stability.
The statement, titled ‘Aviation Ministry Refutes Unsubstantiated Rumour Regarding Movement Of Fire-Fighting Simulator From Zaria To Lagos,’ clarified that there was no substance to the rumour. Keyamo emphasised that the originator, a member of the House of Representatives, referenced an unverified plan to relocate the simulator, which lacks credibility.
“The rumour is nothing but pure mischief by agents of destabilisation and is untrue,” stated the ministry. Keyamo had already addressed the issue with the Speaker of the House, assuring him of the falsehood of the claims. The rector of the school also confirmed that the rumour was baseless. Despite this clarification, the Northern Elders Forum expressed concern over the alleged relocation, citing it as part of a larger pattern of undermining Federal institutions in Northern Nigeria.
In a statement issued by Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, Director of Publicity and Advocacy/Spokesperson for the NEF, the organization commended the House of Representatives for opposing the relocation, echoing fears of a deliberate effort to undermine Northern institutions.
These concerns arise amidst recent transfers of key departments from the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria from Abuja to Lagos, further fueling suspicions of a concerted move against institutions in the North.
