By Musdafa Ilo from Maiduguri

The federal government has directed that the Maiduguri International Airport be re-opened for commercial activities, the deputy governor of the State, Zanna Mustapha, told journalists.

The airport was shut down 18 months ago, following constant attacks by Boko Haram insurgents, particularly the attack on the 79 Composite of the Nigerian Airforce Base in Maiduguri, that saw three helicopters belonging to the Nigerian Air Force destroyed.

But with calm returning to the state, the government has moved to re-open the airport.

“It is interesting to announce that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu, has confirmed to me that the Federal Government issued a directive for the re-opening of the Maiduguri International Airport for commercial activities.

“In fact the Chief of Air Staff told me that the Nigerian Air Space Management Agency, (NAMA), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), were already directed to work out effective modalities for the effective resumption of the flight ”  Mustapha said.

He also said a commercial airline operator, Med View Airlines, has decided to resume fully airlifting of passengers from Maiduguri through Abuja-Kano and Jeddah.