The Plateau State Police Command warns residents and organisations against operating drones without NCAA approval, citing security risks, privacy concerns, and threats to critical infrastructure across the state.
Jos, Plateau State — September 2026
The Plateau State Police Command has warned individuals and corporate organisations against operating drones without the necessary approvals, cautioning that offenders risk arrest, confiscation of their equipment, and prosecution.
In a public notice issued Sunday, Police Public Relations Officer SP Alfred Alabo said the warning was necessary to enhance security, protect critical infrastructure, and ensure proper regulation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) across the state.
According to the police, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) remains the only agency authorised to issue permits and approvals for drone operations in Nigeria. The Command cited the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2023, particularly Part 17 on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), which prohibits drone operation without approval and an approved security programme. Operators are required to submit their security programme in advance, along with details of their intended flight locations, schedules, and safety measures.
The police stressed that the regulations prohibit using drones for unlawful purposes, including transporting unauthorised cargo, weapons, or explosives, and warned against any drone use capable of causing death, serious bodily injury, property or environmental damage, or endangering public safety. Operators were advised to maintain visual contact with their drones, observe approved flight altitudes, and avoid restricted or no-fly zones.
The Command also flagged the risk of unauthorised drones being used to invade personal privacy, warning that such conduct could amount to harassment, intimidation, trespass, or behaviour likely to cause a breach of peace.
The police said they would work with other security agencies to deploy all lawful means to arrest offenders, impound drones operated in violation of the regulations, and prosecute those found culpable. Residents were urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious drone activity to the nearest police station or the Command's Control Room.
The Command declared it would not allow Plateau State's airspace to become "a theatre of lawlessness" capable of compromising public safety and security, a notably firm framing that reflects growing law enforcement attention nationwide to unregulated drone use, particularly in states like Plateau that continue to grapple with serious security challenges where surveillance technology, in the wrong hands, could pose additional risks.
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