Former special assistant to Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, Shehu Usman Iyal, who died on Thursday, has been described as a core professional in the aviation sector.

Iyal was known for his efforts to ensure that Nigeria positions itself in the aviation business by seeing it as a component of national security.

Described as a core professional, he had in one interview stated that “there is no reason airports and airlines should have the kind of problems we are having today because aviation is a component of national security.”

Iyal graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1977. An alumnus of the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, he also attended the London Business School for undergraduate studies.

He was the Managing Director of Afri-Air International Limited – a Fixed Based Operator (FBO), a non-executive director at Skyway Aviation Handling Co. Plc. 

He previously worked as a Director at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCOM) and headed its aviation committee.

He was also the Chairman, Presidential Implementation and Monitoring Committee; Hub Development of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and Chairman, Presidential Committee on Improvement of Airport Security and Drug Related Problems.

Additional materials from Abubakar Sadiq Mohd, Zaria.