The Airline Operators of Nigeria, an association of stakeholders in the country’s aviation industry, has threatened to stop all scheduled and unscheduled commercial and private flight operations into airports in Rivers State if the government fails to release the detained Caverton pilots in 24 hours.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had led the police and  military personnel to arrest two pilots of Caverton Helicopters on Tuesday after they conveyed passengers into the state.

The two pilots, Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari, were subsequently remanded in a hotel facility owned by the Rivers State Government in Port Harcourt after being charged in a magistrate’s court for contravening an executive order of the governor which restricts movement of air, land and sea traffic into the state to check the entry of coronavirus into the state.

The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) also threatened to mobilise all pilots both local and international to boycott flying into the state now and even after the lockdown period following the detention of the pilots.

The groups asked for the immediate release of the pilots and an apology from the state government.

The President of NAAPE said:

“It is a fact that the flight was duly authorised by all agencies involved from the point of law. One wonders why power tussle between the federal and state governments will override the national interest.

“At this juncture, NAAPE deems the actions of Rivers State Government as an unwarranted attack on our members and is left with no other option than to demand an immediate release of the pilots and an apology from the governor of Rivers State failing which we will direct all pilots both local and international to boycott flying into Rivers State now and post-lockdown.”

The Federal Government has said it gave approval for Caverton and some other airlines to operate essential flight services during the lockdown, the essential services being oil prospecting, exploration and allied business.

This was made known by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Governor Wike however said although flight approvals and airport operations were the prerogative of the Federal Government, he ought to have been carried along as the approval was being given, considering the Executive Order he had issued to restrict movement into the state, and the emergency situation occassioned by COVID-19.