AN OVERVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL AVIATION LAW: ISSUES IN DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTATION IN NIGERIA

Transportation is an essential part of human activity and in many ways forms the basis of all socio-economic interactions. Indeed, no two locations will sinteract effectively without a viable means of movement. A good transport system is, thus, essential to support economic growth and development.’ Nigeria’s commercial transportation system includes road, rail, water and air transport. All the transportation systems are covered by a series of varied policies and laws designed to tackle the challenges facing the transport sector Of all the conventional commercial transport systems in Nigeria, air transport has the comparative advantage of speed, time saving and comfort. Air transport as a mode of transportation has made tremendous impact on human history, advancement and development. It has bridged continents, broken geographical, cultural and other primordial barriers, transformed the airspace into a network of air routes and a global highway for inter and intra continental commerce.” According to Tyler? “Today, aviation is the life blood of global economy” and that the industry supports over 58 million jobs and $ 2.4 trillion in annual economic activity. It has turned our wonderfully big planet into a wonderful small world of enormous and wonderful opportunities, thereby creating a “very big future for us all.”° Sadly, air transport has not only been used for altruistic purposes but also for destructive purposes such as warfare and acts of conscious interference with air navigation such as hijacking aircraft and using same as weapons of destruction as happened on September 11, 2001 when the twin towers of the World Trade Centre as well as other targets in the United States of America