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Tag: Airport

  • FAAN seals Ibadan airport for upgrade

    FAAN seals Ibadan airport for upgrade

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has announced the temporary closure of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, Oyo State.

    In a statement on Sunday, FAAN Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah the Federal Government had approved the closure.

    She said the closure was to facilitate extensive upgrade works to enhance infrastructure and operational standards.

    According to her, the move became necessary to enable the execution of critical improvements at the airport.

    The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the temporary closure of Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport (SLAA), Ibadan, due to ongoing upgrade works,” the statement read.

    “As part of the Oyo State Government’s initiative to upgrade Ibadan Airport from a domestic to an international airport, various improvements and remodelling works are currently underway.”

    According to the statement, the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency has consequently closed the runway and suspended airport operations by the International Civil Aviation Organisation regulations.

    The upgrade was part of the state government’s move to transform the aerodrome into an international status.

    In compliance with aviation safety recommended standards and processes, the closure became imperative to ensure the safety of passengers as well as airport personnel,” FAAN added.

  • FAAN closes Lagos airport runway

    FAAN closes Lagos airport runway

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has  closed  Runway 18R/36L at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja  for rehabilitation.

    The closure started from 3.00 a.m. on Monday. It will end at 11.59 p.m. on Tuesday.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, Mrs Obiageli Orah.

    According to Orah, the closure is due to ongoing rehabilitation work (asphalt phase) at the A2 Taxiwaylink of the runway.

    She said that it was  part of ongoing efforts to ensure that the runway would remain in optimal condition.

    “There will be no disruption to flight operations during this period as all flights would be redirected to the alternative runway, 18L/36R,” she said.

    She emphasised FAAN’s committment to the safety, security and comfort of airport users.

  • Kogi State gets approval for international airport

    Kogi State gets approval for international airport

    The Kogi State Government has announced receiving approval from the federal government to build an International Airport in Zariagi, near Lokoja metropolis.

    This approval, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications said, was given by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

    In a statement on Friday in Lokoja, Fanwo said the approval was conveyed to the state government in a letter dated Oct. 9 by the aviation ministry.

    Fanwo said the administration of Alhaji Usman Ododo was committed to the timely completion of the project with strict adherence to regulatory standards.

    “Having an airport in Kogi will definitely serve 10 other states and reduce traffic on the Lokoja -Abuja road. It will also decongest the traffic on the Abuja International Airport.

    “Gov. Ododo’s administration has considered this project a top priority one for Kogi state to have an International Airport and join the league of the aviation hub.

    “The strategic location of the state is no doubt, an invaluable advantage in harnessing the aviation service market as the centre of the nation.

    “The project will not only boost the economy of the State, it will also create jobs and bring the potentials of the state to the global scene.

    He said the governor is determined to hire the best hands in the industry to make the project a huge success, stating that, aviation is an industry of trust and standards.

    The commissioner thanked President Bola Tinubu and the Aviation Minister for the historic approval that will help to further develop Kogi .

    According to him, the Airport will also have capacity for Cargos, which is one of government key focuses in the project.

    Fanwo assured the people of Kogi that Ododo’s administration would continue to execute laudable projects to consolidate on the gains of the last eight years of Ex-Gov. Yahaya Bello’s administration.

    Zariagi is a very strategic community that already boasts of an airstrip, which the aviation ministry was satisfied with.

  • BREAKING: Sowore released after brief arrest at Lagos airport

    BREAKING: Sowore released after brief arrest at Lagos airport

    The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, has been released minutes after his arrest.

    Sowore was earlier arrested on Sunday morning at Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State.

    He wrote, “I had just arrived in Nigeria from the USA at MMIA in Lagos; upon reaching Nigerian Immigration, my passport was seized, and they told me they had orders to detain me.

    “This is not unexpected because I have always known that it is part of the broader clampdown by the fascist @officialAbat regime on dissent and their fear of the upcoming #FearlessINOctober revolt.

    “In case this becomes another prolonged and protracted detention, I urge our citizens to ensure they ALL stop tyranny by all means acceptable and necessary, by engaging in the planned series of direct actions slated for 1 October and beyond.”

    His flight left Washington Dulles International Airport at 6.14 EDT and arrived in Lagos at around 9.43am.

    On Thursday, 12 September 2024, a DSS memo ordering the arrest of Sowore upon his arrival in Nigeria was leaked.

    However, in a post via his official X handle, Sowore disclosed that he had been released by the Nigerian Immigration Service and his passport had been released to him after it was earlier confiscated.

    He wrote, “I have just been released by the Nigerian Immigration after a brief detention and my passport released back to me.”

     

  • Minister Bans VIP International Flights at Non-International Airports

    Minister Bans VIP International Flights at Non-International Airports

    Following the use of non-international airports by VIPs, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has instructed that no international flight operations should be conducted through non-international airports.

    In a circular issued by the Directorate of Air Traffic Services of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and signed by S.E. Inegbedion, the Deputy General Manager, the Minister directed that all international flight operations at General Aviation Terminals (GAT) and other private terminals at international airports must complete clearances and checks at international terminals, except those exempted by the National Security Adviser (NSA).

    He noted that compliance is compulsory, and any violation will attract appropriate sanctions.
    A source disclosed to newsmen that many VIPs have devised a way of asking for last-minute permissions to land at local airports, even claiming they have made arrangements for customs or immigration officers to clear them on arrival.

    The suspicion is that many of them might be smuggling cash, goods, arms, and possibly human beings into Nigeria, away from the prying eyes of security agencies at the officially designated international airports.

    “This has been happening for a while, and nobody has called them to order. The Minister has decided to act decisively,” the insider told newsmen.

  • Strike: Airport gates now open

    Strike: Airport gates now open

    Domestic airports, Murtala Mohammed Airport Terminal II operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Ltd., and the General Aviation Terminal I managed by the Federal  Airports Authority of Nigeria have opened their gates.

    On Tuesday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) suspended their two-day industrial action.

    The strike which commenced on Monday was called to protest the failure of the Federal Government to approve new minimum wage by May 31 as well as its failure to reverse the hike in electricity tariff.

    Details to follow…

  • Lagos airport E-gates 100% ready in 3 weeks – Minister

    Lagos airport E-gates 100% ready in 3 weeks – Minister

    The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Friday said that all 21 electronic gates (E-gates) at Lagos airports would be 100 per cent ready for use in three weeks.

    Tunji-Ojo made this known when he inspected the level of work done at the E-Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, new terminal in Lagos.

    He also expressed satisfaction with the level of work done.

    “So what we can see is that it is fully installed and what is left is just the Universla Access transceiver (UAT) and then align the sensors.

    “Of course, by Monday latest, this wing will be fully ready and good to go. Then of course, from here, we move to the D wing. And the D wing, we have eight gates.

    “We cannot shut and block the three airports at the same time or work simultaneously, because of ease of movement.

    “So we have to take it one terminal after the other. The assurance we have already is that by this weekend, the E wing would have been fully completed and that would be left with only the D wing.

    “The D wing might take us roughly another three weeks maximum because it is 8 gates, like this one. What it means is that in the next three weeks from now, Lagos will be 100 per cent good to go,” he said.

    Speaking on the timing of the E-gates in Nigeria, the minister said that President Bola Tinubu administration had brought technology and innovation to play.

    Tunji-Ojo said that the introduction of the e-gates was to enhance national security, easy connectivity to database globally and to help the public perception of government, while enabling ease of doing business.

    He also said that Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja was also ready for inauguration, adding that after the completion of Lagos gates, Kano airport and others would begin.

    He said, “President Tinubu had told us from day one on his Renewed Hope Agenda to change the narratives and make passengers’ movements in and out of the country seamless.”

  • Aircraft skids off Lagos airport runway

    Aircraft skids off Lagos airport runway

    An XEJet Airlines aircraft from Abuja, on Saturday morning, skidded off runway 18L at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja Lagos.

    This is contained in a report detailing the incident obtained on Saturday in Lagos.

    The XeJet E145 aircraft with registration number, 5NBZZ, at about 11.29 a.m. veered off the runway into the grass verge at the point of landing.

    The aircraft had 52 passengers and three crew members.

    According to reports, airport fire and rescue teams were on ground to help in the evacuation of the passengers.

    NAN also reports that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has confirmed the incident on its verified Instagram account.

    The NSIB also said  the bureau’s ‘Go Team’ had been deployed to the scene for evacuation of passengers and crew members

    At the moment, Runway 18L is closed to traffic.

  • FAAN initiates investigation of fire at Lagos airport

    FAAN initiates investigation of fire at Lagos airport

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it has initiated an investigation into the cause of a fire incident that occured on Thursday at the E54 bridge of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja.

    The Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, Mrs Obiageli Orah, said this in a statement.

    According to Orah, efforts to ventilate the smoke from the building are in progress.

    She said the smoke was detected billowing from the E54 passenger Bridge, which led the electrical engineers to immediately cut off power to the entire E Wing.

    “The Airport Rescue and Firefighting Services (ARFFS) team was quick to respond, arriving at the scene by 5.30 a.m.

    “Initial suspicions point to sparks from an electrical unit as the cause, but a thorough investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire.

    “The incident, which had escalated into a fire, was brought under control by 6.41 a.m.

    “Efforts to ventilate the smoke from the building are in progress. In the meantime, all flight operations in Terminal 1 of MMA have been diverted to the D Wing,” she said.

    Orah also informed that more details would follow shortly as the investigation continues.

  • Airports: ICAO team concludes assignment, sends full report in 60 days

    Airports: ICAO team concludes assignment, sends full report in 60 days

    Nigeria is expected to receive a full report of the just concluded International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Security Audit of the nation’s airport within 60 days, according to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    Mrs Obiageli Orah, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, made this known in a statement, made available to newsmen on Saturday in Lagos.

    Orah quoted the Team Lead of the ICAO auditors, Mr Callum Vine, as giving the information during the audit debrief after conclusion of the exercise.

    She also said that the debriefing indicated that Nigeria will, after receipt of the report, have 30 days to make comments and then file its plan on compliance in any observed gaps with the organisation.

    The team of auditors undertook the 2024 ICAO Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP) through Continuous Monitoring Approach (CMA) for Lagos and Abuja airports.

    Orah said that the two-week exercise ended on Friday, and the team lead, during the debriefing, praised Nigeria’s robust policies on airport security.

    She also quoted Vine as acknowledging the speed with which the personnel dealt with identified deficiencies without complaints.

    According to Orah, the objective of the USAP-CMA is to promote global aviation security through continuous auditing and monitoring of member States’ aviation security performance.

    It is to enhance their aviation security compliance and oversight capabilities, by regularly and continuously obtaining and analyzing data on member States’ aviation security performance.

    This also includes the level of implementation of the critical elements of an aviation security oversight system and the degree of compliance with the Standards of Annex 17, Security and the relevant security-related Standards of Annex 9, Facilitation, as well as associated procedures, guidance material, and security-related practices.

    Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, Managing Director/Chief Executive of the FAAN, is quoted as saying that the Authority would use the results of the audit as a roadmap for continuous improvement in the services it renders to airport users and stakeholders.

    Kuku, according to the statement, urged all stakeholders to collaborate closely, share best practices, and remain vigilant in upholding the highest standards of security in the Nigerian aviation industry.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace, Dr Emmanuel Meribole, who represented the Minister, and the Acting Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, were listed as being present during the debriefing.