The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has announced that the Kaduna International Airport, Kaduna is now fit and ready for 24-hour operations.

The General Manager Public Affairs of NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, said in Lagos on Tuesday that the airport was ready for local and international flights.

Adurogboye explained that all necessary steps to ensure that the status of the airport as an alternative airport to the Abuja International Airport during the closure had been taken.

The Federal Government had announced the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja effective from midnight of Wednesday to allow for extensive repairs on the runway.

The NCAA official assured all passengers of safety and security in all airports in the country.

“The navigational aids have been well calibrated and fully functional to facilitate continuous smooth landings and takeoffs.

“Therefore, towards seamless flight operations in line with Standard and Recommended Practices, all relevant departments and directorates with full complement of staff have been redeployed to Kaduna.”

Adurogboye said the Regional Managers of NCAA for Abuja and Kaduna offices were on ground to allow for smooth integration of the additional staff coming to Kaduna.

He said to sustain the safety and security of airline operations, a team of Aviation Safety Inspectors from the Directorate of Airworthiness Standards had already moved to the airport.

Adurogboye said the Directorate of Consumer Protection, Directorate of Air Transport Regulations, Directorate of Aerodrome and Airspace Standard and Aviation Security Personnel were already at the airport.

The official named other agencies deployed as NCAA, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigerian Customs and Exercise, and Nigerian Immigration Service.

Adurogboye said that a National Security Committee had been designed and approved for the security programme to cover the airport and its environs during the six weeks closure.

He noted that at the commencement of flights, the Ethiopian Airlines (ET) would be the first scheduled airline to arrive the Kaduna international airport upon the closure of Abuja International Airport.