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Tag: abuja airport

  • I weep for Nigeria – Empress Njamah laments, blames Buhari for missing her flight

    I weep for Nigeria – Empress Njamah laments, blames Buhari for missing her flight

    Nollywood actress, Empress Njamah has expressed her irritation after she missed her flight because all roads were blocked so Buhari could pass.

    The actress in a video on her Instagram page on Friday said despite leaving 3 hours earlier for the airport, she was in a roadblock for an hour and twenty minutes just because the President of Nigeria was passing.

    ”It pains me so much that I had to miss my flight even after I left my house three hours before departure time just because there was a roadblock and this is because President Buhari was going for a ceremony.

    ”So, because the President of the Republic of Nigeria was passing all roads were blocked and I was stuck in traffic for one hour twenty minutes.

    ”When am like this my heart begins to beat faster than normal, that smile and glow disappears, a frown is obvious, anger is bad for the health and that’s the reason we are not friends. I pray for calmness and will keep praying to our country Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru recalls that the President headed to Kano for the wedding of his son, Yusuf and Zahra Bayero, the road leading to Abuja airport was shut down.

    Motorists, commuters, among others, were caught in an unusual gridlock that lasted hours.

    Many got to their destinations – airport, hospitals, shops, schools, workplaces, appointment venues – behind schedule.

    Also, Yusuf and Zahra’s union is expected to take place Friday afternoon after Jummah prayers, amid the surging third wave of COVID-19.

     

  • ASUP Strike: Polytechnic students threaten to disrupt flights at Abuja Airport

    ASUP Strike: Polytechnic students threaten to disrupt flights at Abuja Airport

    The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has vowed to disrupt domestic and international flights at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from Monday if the Federal Government fails to reach an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic Staff (ASUP).

    The students, who demanded the immediate reopening of Polytechnics, also called for immediate negotiation to end the lingering strike by ASUP.

    The angry students, who barricaded the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Education, carrying placards with various inscriptions, urged the Federal Government to listen to their lecturers.

    The protesting students were received by officials of the ministry led by the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Polytechnic teachers have been on strike for close to two months over government’s inability to meet their demands.

    President of NAPS, Mr Sunday Asuku, called on both parties to reach a compromise or risk nationwide protest by the students.

    He said: “We are here to demand for immediate reopening of our tertiary institutions. ASUP has been on strike for two months now and nothing has been done about it.

    “Government is not saying anything about this and we want them to reopen the schools now or else we are not leaving.

    “We have written to them but they have declined. The Federal Government workers are being paid their salaries and allowances likewise our lecturers, so who is going to pay the students for time wastage.”

    Asuku said the students’ body reached out to ASUP leadership who promised to shift ground if government yields to their demands.

    He added: “ASUP demanded 15 items from the Federal Government but was only able to get two which to us is not commendable.

    “As a student body, we are interested in the government paying the lecturers their minimum wage which is accrued to two years.

    “Other MDAs have received theirs since Nov. 2019, why holding our lecturers to ransom. If you can give them this, then we have the right to hold them accountable for not teaching.

    “We want the government to call ASUP back to a round table and give them what belongs to them, else by Monday, we will grind the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.”

    Responding, Nwajiuba said everything that had to do with ASUP had been settled by the government.

    The Minister said the onus lied with the union to be fair on the students by calling off the strike.

    Nwajiuba said: “Everyone of us is pained by what is going on in the polytechnic sector of our education, many of us spoke with ASUP at the time of their warning strike that we are not running an Ad hoc government.

    “Nothing ends today, even if I die today, Nigeria will continue and there is nothing that will stop Nigeria.

    “When ASUP wanted to start this strike, we wrote them and said everything that ASUP requested for has been agreed upon, we do not have one area of disagreement.

    “On May 23, we communicated to ASUP and we have given them a catalog of everything that they said we should do that we have complied with.”

  • DSS invites youth leaders over plans to disrupt business activities at Abuja Airport

    DSS invites youth leaders over plans to disrupt business activities at Abuja Airport

    The Department of State Security Services (DSS) on Wednesday invited the National President of the Nigeria Youth Union (NYU), Chinonso Obasi alongside other youth leaders over alleged plans to disrupt official activities at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    Obasi confirmed the invitation by the security agency, saying he was expected to be at DSS headquarters on Wednesday morning.

    The secret police wants the youth leaders to explain why they want to shut down the airport with a protest.

    Youth groups, comprising of Nigeria Youth Union (NYU), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), National Association of Colleges of Education Students (NACES), Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), Northern Youths Initaitive for Peace and Good Governance, had planned to disrupt peaceful activities at the airport on Wednesday to raise global awareness on the deplorable state of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in Nigeria.

    It was aborted because of DSS invitation of leaders of the planned protest.

    Organisers of the protest told reporters that the plan to shut down the airport was because of the lukewarm attitude being shown by relevant authorities, particularly the leadership of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) to their demand for a better and efficient PHCs in Nigeria.

    Obasi said: “Our initial plan was to shut down the airport this morning (Wednesday) but that has been put on hold because of the DSS invitation. The meeting with DSS has been scheduled for this morning. Our next line of action will be communicated after our meeting with the DSS.

    “Howbeit, we won’t relent until we see things change. Over 1,000 comrades are already in Abuja to participate in the planned which will help us register their discontent with the situation of public healthcare facilities in Nigeria, and we are determined to continue until we effect the needed changes so that Nigerians, mostly poor people at the rural areas can get basic health care services at the PHCs.”

    He recalled that in February, hundreds of the youths shut down the headquarters of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for few hours to protest poor state of health care system particularly the PHCs.

    The youth took similar action and moved to the headquarters of ALGON few weeks after, to also register their discontent with the deplorable state of PHCs in Nigeria.

    Obasi said the decision to stage the peaceful protest was to drive home their message to the Governors and local government chairmen on the needs to leverage on the COVID-19 pandemic to revive the PHCs which would be more beneficial to rural communities.

    He said: “We have privileged information from federal ministry of health that the decision to revive the PHCs is on the governor and local government administration because the health is on the concurrent list.

    “But we are deeply pained and grossly disenchanted that some State Governors are totally dictating what happens at the local government level with particular emphasis on directly controlling and pocketing a great chunk of local government funds.”

  • Soldiers deployed to communities near Abuja airport

    Soldiers deployed to communities near Abuja airport

    Soldiers and policemen have mounted checkpoints around some communities near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    This was apparently to forestall the breakdown of law and order as the protests against the scrapped Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force continues.

    The security officers mounted checkpoints around Kuje, Soka, and parts of Lugbe which are communities adjoining the Shehu Yar’Adua Expressway leading to the Abuja airport.
  • First international flight lands in Abuja airport

    First international flight lands in Abuja airport

    An Ethiopia Airline plane on Monday, arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, conveying 120 passengers and 13 crew members from Addis Ababa.

    The aircraft with registration number ET-AUC arrived at 1:32 pm.

    Speaking with newsmen after the flight arrived, Capt. Rabio Yadudu, the Director-General of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), described the feat as a huge breakthrough in the aviation industry in the country.

    The director-general recalled that the Federal Government of Nigeria closed the nation’s airspace due to COVID-19 pandemic in March.

    “The international flight that just arrived is a lifesaver to all of us in the aviation industry. The past seven months have been challenging for everybody in the sector.

    “ The first flight that did come into domestic wings gave us a lot of confidence that we were coming back. Now the international flight. I believe every stakeholder in the aviation sector is happy.

    “Having multiple international flights in a day depends on the preparation of the airline. Our airport has resumed operation and we open our doors for the airlines. Some airlines are ready to resume today while some will be ready within the week,” he said.

    According to him, FAAN is ready to accommodate and work with airlines that are not restricted.

    Yadudu commended passengers for their patience and compliance with stated policy to avoid spreading COVID-19 in the airport.

    Some passengers that spoke with NAN frowned at the tedious nature of the processes they went through.

    They complained about the long period it took to fill the COVID-19 Test Form online.

    According to Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) tweeter handle (@Nigerian CAA), the BA, Emirate, Ethiopia, ASKY and Air Cote d`Ivoire flights are scheduled to arrive Abuja Monday.

  • DSS reacts to report of assault on FAAN official at Abuja airport

    DSS reacts to report of assault on FAAN official at Abuja airport

    The Department of State Services (DSS) had dismissed report of assault on an official of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) by its Head of Formation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    The Public Relations Officer of DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said that FAAN had also accused its official of breaching security protocol at the Airport, adding that it had not been established that any FAAN staff was assaulted.

    Afunanya said DSS personnel were well mannered and could not have slapped or fought a worker of another agency.

    He said the news, as reported in some sections of the media, had left an impression that was not factual.

    The public relations officer, therefore, called on the public to disregard the report.

    According to him, for the record, no DSS staff fought or engaged in any acts prejudicial to discipline or inimical to public safety at the airport under reference.

    “In line with its statutory duties, the Service recognises the Airports as one of the country’s most important assets and has remained at the forefront of protecting them and other critical ones.

    “It takes their security seriously and cannot breach it. As a strategic partner, the Service holds FAAN and its staff in good esteem.

    “Both agencies have, over time, enjoyed robust working relationship in the areas of training and exchange programmes,” he said.

    According to him, there are other avenues than the social media to resolve any misunderstanding among staff of two agencies that have had long history of unity of purpose in the execution of their mandates.

    He said the service had high value for effective interagency collaboration needed to achieve positive outcomes for good of the country.

    Afunanya urged travellers to go about their normal businesses as the Service, in conjunction with relevant authorities including FAAN, were committed to their safety.

  • DSS Boss, Safiyu Abba slaps aviation security official on duty at Abuja Airport

    DSS Boss, Safiyu Abba slaps aviation security official on duty at Abuja Airport

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has reported another breach of its security protocol at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    This time it involved the head of the Department of State Services(DSS) at the airport, Safiyanu Abba.

    According to FAAN, Abba not only breached the security procedure at the airport, he also slapped a security officer, who wanted to ensure compliance.

    “We note with dismay that Mr Safiyanu Abba, the Head of DSS at NAIA deliberately obstructed airport Security process, and slapped an Aviation Security Officer”, FAAN tweeted on Wednesday.

    FAAN said the assaulted officer was performing his duty by calling on Mr Safiyanu Abba to desist from doing so.

    “This happened on the 17th July at about 15:25 hours. He breached security procedure by obstructing further searching of a visitor who had just walked through the metal detector and activated the alarm.

    “The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria strongly condemns this abuse of power and the Security process in our airport. This has also been duly escalated.

    “FAAN committed to our core values of safety Security and comfort”.

    FAAN had similarly reported such breaches in recent days.

    On 16 July, FAAN blew the whistle on Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa state, who arrived Port Harcourt international Airport aboard aircraft 5N-IZY, at 17:08 hrs on 14th July 2020, along with an entourage of eight.

    All of them refused to comply with the COVID-19 protocol and security procedure.

    FAAN said they flagrantly refused to have their temperature checked, or being sanitised by the health officials.

    “His whole entourage of 8 did exactly as he did. The team that came to receive them drove right through the barricades up to the terminal building ignoring traffic and Aviation Security instructions”, FAAN said.

    FAAN also recently reported former Governor Abdulaziz Yari for refusing to allow his luggage decontaminated.

    However, none of the infractions degenerated into an assault like Safiyanu Abba’s.

  • Abuja airport re-opens amidst strict COVID-19 safety protocols

    The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Saturday, re-opened for business with passengers duly screened, in line with safety protocols following the Coronavirus (COVID-19), pandemic.

    The airport also witnessed strict compliance to other safety measures, aimed at curtailing spread of the virus.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that provisions were made for hand wash and alcohol-based sanitisers, there were temperature checks, as well as strict compliance to social distancing of about one metre.

    Journalists covering the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, were led on dry run test from Lagos to Abuja, to witness firsthand, reopening of the aviation sector.

    NAN reports that checks for COVID-19 safety protocols and screening, were carried out on passengers at the departure lounge.

    NAN also reports that the seats, which were usually crowded, have been rearranged in compliance with the social distancing rule.

    Inscriptions to further guide passengers, such as “do not use this seat”, “keep your distance”, were placed on the seats.

    NAN also reports that two newly acquired machines, for the purpose of identifying passengers, had been stationed at the airport.

    An operator, who sought anonymity, said that the machine could perform all necessary and required tasks of passenger-screening.

    It would be recalled that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), had a few weeks ago, said that the airport would reopen for business on Aug. 27, after months of closure following the coronavirus outbreak.

  • JUST IN: FG stops all international flights, shuts Abuja Lagos intl airports

    The Federal Government of Nigeria, on Saturday, announced the shut down of international flights coming into Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    This was confirmed in a statement signed by the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Musa Nuhu.

    “Further to our earlier letter on restriction of international flights into Nigeria, we wish to inform you that effective Monday 23 March at 2300Z to 23 April at 2300z, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos (DNMM) and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja (DNAA) will be closed to international flights,” the statement read.

    “This is in addition to the closure of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano (DNKN); Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu (DNEN); and Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa (DNPO) effective Saturday, 21 March at 2300Z.

    “Henceforth, all airports in Nigeria are closed to all incoming international flights with the exception of emergency and essential flights.”

    The statement added that domestic flights would continue operations at all airports across the nation.

  • Abuja Airport: Operation resumes in new terminal after fire scare

    Abuja Airport: Operation resumes in new terminal after fire scare

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced resumption of flight operations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja new terminal hours after fire scare on Saturday.

    FAAN’s Regional General Manager, North Central, Mr Sani Mahmud, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that normalcy had since returned to the terminal.

    Mahmud said that Turkish Airlines’ Abuja-Istanbul flight TK064 had commenced checking in as at 9 p.m.

    “This is to inform you that THY FLT TK064 enroute ABV-IST has commenced checking in processes in the NITZ and everything has been hitch free,” he said.

    There was panic earlier at the terminal when smoke emerged from a section of the facility leading to suspension of operations at the terminal.

    FAAN later disclosed that there was no fire outbreak, explaining that the incident was as a result of the system that came up when it sensed high ambient temperatures and sprays fire extinguishing agent.

    FAAN further explained that the residue of powder sprayed by the system was what was seen in the cloud as smoke.