Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, on Sunday expressed excitement about the historic flight test-run at the Gusau International Airport.

A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, disclosed that the test flight landed at the Gusau International Airport at exactly 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.

It said the aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 605, was operated by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The statement read in part, “Today will remain a historic day in the history of Zamfara as Governor Lawal witnessed the landing of the maiden flight at the Gusau International Airport.

“The aircraft with registration 5N-FGZ performed a one-off test to assess the airport’s capability for VIP movements scheduled next week. The test flight is in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) Part 12.1.4.1(c).”

According to the statement, before the test flight, the state government requested permission from the NCAA, and the Authority granted a one-off ‘No Technical Objection’ (NTO) for the aircraft to land in Gusau.

“The flight operation was conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), which was strictly from sunrise to sunset. The historic test flight has significantly boosted Governor Lawal’s administration reputation, especially since Zamfara State has lacked an airport for over 30 years.

“The Zamfara Government, under Governor Dauda Lawal, is constructing the airport with operations scheduled to commence by March 2026,” it added.

The smart airport project includes a runway, terminal building, and control tower, expected to boost economic activity and investment in the state.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Mr Lawal, on June 21, 2024, flagged off the construction of the International Cargo Airport project. 

(NAN)