TheNewsGuru

Tag: Lagos Airport

  • Customs personnel destroy security gate at Lagos Airport

    Customs personnel destroy security gate at Lagos Airport

    Some officials of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Hajj/Cargo terminal Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, have been alleged to engaged in the breaking of Airport security by forcefully opening the security gate at the cargo terminal.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), through its spokesperson, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, in Lagos on Monday.

    It said the Customs personnel shoved aside aviation security personnel on duty at the gate before carrying out the breach.

    Yakubu said that the incident happened under the watch of the Comptroller of the Command, Dan Galadima, who was in his car when the incident occurred.

    “At about 17:45hrs on Thursday, Jan. 20, while the AVSEC officers on day duty at Gate 3 were profiling a NAHCO vehicle that wanted to access the Security Restricted Area (SRA) via gate 3,

    “The Customs Area Comptroller for Hajj and Cargo Terminal suddenly emerged and pulled off behind the NAHCO vehicle that was being attended to and CSC Agunbiade, a customs officer on the Area Comptroller’s entourage, later shoved aside the AVSEC officer at the gate,

    “Forcefully took over the gate and opened the gate for the Comptroller and his escorts to forcefully access the security restricted Area via the gate.

    “While accessing the gate, the armed escorts to the Comptroller threatened to beat up the AVSEC officers at the gate if they dare resist their assault and breach of security,” FAAN alleged.

    The airport authority however noted that personnel of the NCS, who bear arms, are in the habit of flagrant disobedience to security measures in the airport with threat to deal with AvSec personnel who are not armed.

    “This blatant abuse of the privilege of bearing firearms by the NCS has become a recurrent threat to the Safety and Security of our Staff and our operations,” FAAN said.

    The airport authority however called on stakeholders in the airport environment to obey aviation security regulations even as it resolves existing challenges.

    “While we keep on working to resolve all our challenges decisively, we hereby urge all stakeholders to please respect our mandate by being of disciplined and professional conduct in the interest of national security and operational safety,” FAAN appealed.

  • 75-year-old man returning from U.S. dies on arrival at Lagos Airport

    75-year-old man returning from U.S. dies on arrival at Lagos Airport

    A 75-year-old man (name withheld) has died at the Lagos Airport in Nigeria’s commercial capital.

    The man arrived in the country on Monday via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos aboard a flight operated by Delta Air from the United States of America.

    According to reports, the man died shortly after the aircraft touched down and taxied to the finger for passengers to disembark and move into the airport terminal.

    Airport sources said the deceased passenger was suspected to have suffered a prolonged underlining ailment before embarking on the flight.

    The sources said the reactions of his family members who came to receive the corpse showed they suspected that he would be brought to the country dead.

    His remains were said to have been deposited in a hospital morgue.

    No further detail has been obtained from the airline regarding the development.

  • Brazil-based drug dealer behind cocaine hidden in Lagos Airport toilet arrested

    Brazil-based drug dealer behind cocaine hidden in Lagos Airport toilet arrested

    A Brazil-based drug dealer, Okafor Okwudili Moses has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over 2.55 kilograms of cocaine recovered from a toilet at the E-Arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.

    NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday.

    According to Mr Babafemi, the drug was discovered in the toilet of the airport on Friday 12th November after it was dumped there by a trafficker who was obviously scared of being caught by narcotic officers positioned at the airport.

    The following day, Saturday, November 13, the actual owner of the consignment, Okafor arrived at the airport from Brazil via an Ethiopian Airline and was promptly arrested.

    While being interviewed in custody, he confirmed he is the owner of the seized illicit drug.

    In other interdiction operations across the country, over 6,043.857 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs were recovered in five states of Adamawa, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo and Ebonyi with more than two hectares of cannabis farms destroyed.

    A suspected fake security agent, Abdullahi Mohammed, who claimed to be serving in one of the security formations in Mubi, Adamawa state was arrested with four blocks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 4kg along Bazza- Michika road. In the same vein, four other suspects were arrested at different locations in Jimeta, Yola North LGA, with assorted substances such as Cannabis, Diazepam, Exol- 5 and Tramadol tablets.

    In Ondo state, three persons: Alabi Idowu; Oluwatomipe Olorundare and Finity Sunday were arrested on Monday 15th November and a total of 2,771kgs of Cannabis recovered from them at Oke Ogun camp, Ipele, Owo LGA, while 59-year-old Mrs. Joy Peter was nabbed with over 39kg cannabis and Tramadol tablets on Wednesday 17th Nov.

    Similarly, over 2, 832kg of drugs were seized and more than two hectares of cannabis farms destroyed in parts of Ekiti state. While 2,582kg of Cannabis was recovered on Tuesday 16th November from Itapaji forest, Ipao, Ikole LGA, 250kg was seized from Ise forest, Ise-Orun LGA where the cannabis farm was also destroyed on Thursday 18th Nov.

    Meanwhile, in Ebonyi, 29-year-old Ivoh Chukwuemeka accompanied by his girlfriend Ogbonna Peace, 18, was intercepted along Enugu-Abakaliki expressway with 20.357kg cannabis on Friday 19th Nov. Similarly, 377.5kg cannabis was seized from at least two suspects: Lucky Okhian and Aaron Monday in Owan West LGA as well as Okpokhumi forest in Owan East LGA of Edo state.

    Reacting to the arrest of Okafor and other suspects as well as the seizures from the states, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men involved in the operations across the commands for sustaining the heat on drug cartels in the country.

    “We are proving to the bad guys and merchants of death that we’ll not stay a step ahead of them but two steps in this game, and this we must sustain as we prepare to go into the new year,” he declared.

  • NDLEA intercepts N6.5bn heroin at Lagos airport, declares baron wanted

    NDLEA intercepts N6.5bn heroin at Lagos airport, declares baron wanted

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a consignment of 26.15 kilogrammes of heroin with a street value of over N6.5billion at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.

    It’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    Babafemi said that the seizure was made at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) shed of the Lagos airport.

    According to him, the illicit drug had arrived Lagos in 25 parcels from South Africa through an Air Peace Airline flight on 30th June, 2021.

    He said that it was, however, detained for screening following reasonable suspicion of the content of the consignment.

    “A follow up operation was subsequently carried out the following day, 1st July when narcotic officers of the MMIA command trailed the driver and a clearing agent that were assigned to deliver the consignment.

    “Investigation revealed that they were to deliver to the house of a baron, Tony Chidi Onwurolu at No. 132 Lateef Adegboyega Street, off Ago palace way by Grandmate bus stop Okota, Lagos.

    “During the follow up operation, Tony Chidi Onwurolu, who obviously mounted a counter-surveillance around his neighbourhood, fled his home before the arrival of the team of operatives who stormed his residence.

    “They were however able to search his home and recovered a number of documents to establish his true identity,” he said.

    Babafemi said that the NDLEA Chiarman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retired), had directed that the fleeing drug baron be declared wanted immediately and his details submitted to Interpol for tracking across the world.

    He said Marwa had, therefore, directed the agency’s Directorate of Assets and Financial Investigations as well as the Directorate of Intelligence to deploy their networks to fasttrack the arrest of Onwurolu.

    Marwa said that in view of the volume of heroin brought into country by the fleeing baron, the agency would deploy all available mechanisms, locally and internationally, to track him and bring him to face charges in the law court.

    “Those who have been on the run for 10 years and some for five years, we have since tracked them and are now facing charges while cooling their heels behind bars.

    “The latest one will not be an exception, because he can only run but cant hide for too long before we get him,” Marwa was quoted to have said.

  • JUST IN: FAAN closes E-Finger departure screening point at Lagos airport

    JUST IN: FAAN closes E-Finger departure screening point at Lagos airport

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said the E-Finger departure screening point at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) has been temporarily closed to carry out some routine maintenance on the screening machines.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Henrietta Yakubu (Mrs.), General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN made this known on Tuesday, stressing that the development was part of a maintenance and upgrade program,

    FAAN appealed to passengers and other airport users to bear, as it hope to reopen the area as soon as possible.

    “Consequently, all human and cargo movement have been temporarily diverted to the D-Finger screening area until the maintenance and upgrade is completed,” a statement by Yakubu read.

  • FG warns public against using Lagos Airport Road Flyover

    FG warns public against using Lagos Airport Road Flyover

    The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mr Olukayode Popoola, on Friday advised the public to stay off Airport Road Flyover in Lagos dangerously burnt by fire, pending the determination of its structural safety.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bridge which runs over Toyota Bus Stop on the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway being reconstructed, was engulfed by fire when a petrol tanker burst into flames on Thursday.

    The federal and Lagos State governments on Friday carried out a joint inspection to know the extent of damage to the bridge and adjoining roads.

    Leading the state and federal officials, Popoola raised concerns over the safety of the bridge, saying that its structural integrity had yet to be ascertained.

    He told NAN during the inspection that samples were being taken from the burnt bridge for analysis to be able to ascertain the level of damage and where to carry out repairs.

    Popoola said that 200 meters of the rigid pavement of the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway reconstruction project, being carried by the Dangote Group, was burnt.

    He added that the deck of the flyover was burnt and its pier badly damaged, raising fears of structural instability of the bridge.

    The controller said that the bridge was barricaded after the fire because of safety concerns, regretting that the barriers were removed at night.

    Popoola warned that there would be risks in using the bridge.

    “We are taking some samples to go and analyse before we know the structural stability, but physically, a lot of damage has been done to this pier of the bridge.

    “The integrity is already compromised.

    “Yesterday the road was barricaded but in the night, some people went and removed the barricade.

    “We are advising that members of the public should not take the risk of using this bridge,” he said.

    Popoola said that about 200 meters of the bridge deck as well as the pavement of Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway being reconstructed was affected by the inferno.

    He added that one of the piers – pillars of the bridge – was badly burnt, making the ministry unsure of the structural integrity and safety of the bridge.

    He said that outcome of tests would ensure appropriate action on the flyover constructed by Julius Berger Plc, as well as the highway under reconstruction by the Dangote Group.

    According to the controller, the Federal Highway Act empowers the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to prosecute whoever caused damage to assets of the Federal Government.

    “This Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway project is ongoing, and we have not even completed it. Now, due to carelessness of drivers, this fire occurred, and you can see the level of the damage.

    “The pavement that we have spent a lot of money, up to 200 meters – have been affected; that will cost a lot of money,” he said.

    Popoola noted that the ministry had been working in collaboration with Lagos State Government to tackle trucks’ menace and other infractions affecting road infrastructure.

    The Special Adviser to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, said that the state government, through its Ministry of Transportation, would embark on strict enforcement of road worthiness regulation.

    She told NAN that the government’s agents would begin to enter depots and loading bays for petrol tankers to ensure that those not road worthy would not lift petroleum products.

    Adeyoye said that truck accident causing damage to road infrastructure had become recurrent.

    “Oftentimes, they claim that the roads are bad. What do you say about this one now that the road is very good, there is no pothole anywhere,” she said.

    Adeyoye said that truck accidents were most times caused by reckless driving.

    She called for attitudinal change.

    She said that fires caused by tanker accidents had caused much hardship on road users, urging that road unworthy trucks should stop coming into Lagos State.

    She said that the support of the Federal Government was important in tackling the ‘hydra-headed monster’.

    Mr Cyril Zango, Deputy Corps Commander (Operations), Lagos Sector Command of the Federal Roads Safety Corps, said the offending truck had been impounded.

    He said that investigations were on as regards the accident, adding that, if found guilty, the owner and the driver of the tanker would be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to other road users.

    Zango said that articulated vehicle drivers engaged sharp practices to evade checks.

  • 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.

  • FG speaks on diversion of flights in Lagos

    The Federal Government has explained why international flights were being diverted from Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, because of the bad weather.

    Contrary to insinuations that the planes could not land because of outdated equipment, government disclosed that it has actually upgraded the standard navigational equipment in Lagos to CAT111 ILS, which allows flights even in zero visbility, unlike CAT II ILS where pilots can only land with minimum of 800m visibility.

    Government said the upgrade was also done in Abuja.

    However in Lagos, after caliberation, some inaccurate readings were noticed in the CAT III ILS @ runway 18R (for international flights) at the MMA.

    “Unfortunately, it was in the process of re-caliberating that the weather situation in Lagos changed for the worse, hence the disruption of international flights into Lagos.

    “Some airlines opted to divert their flights to Kotoka airport (CAT II ILS) in Ghana, leaving innocent travellers stranded”.

    Government wondered why the airlines failed to diverted to Abuja (CAT III ILS), where flights to Lagos are regular.

    Government however said “the situation at the runway 18R at the MMA is being rectified and normal flights will resume shortly”.

    Here is the 10-point explanation by the government

    1. The standard navigational equipment at the MMA is a CAT II ILS. And that’s what most airports, including those in advanced countries, have.

    2. The FG, due to its commitment to passenger security and safety, decided to upgrade key airports in the country to CAT III ILS, which allows flights even in zero visbility, unlike CAT II ILS where pilots can only land with minimum of 800m visibility.

    3. The CAT III ILS has been installed in Lagos and Abuja, in the first phase. Both were also calibrated. Pending are CAT III ILS for Kano, Port Harcourt, Asaba, etc

    4. Nigeria, for the first time in a long time, acquired a calibration plane to facilitate easy calibration of the navigational equipment and also stop the practice whereby a calibration plane is hired for $500k each time.

    5. The CAT III ILS in Abuja is working perfectly. But after caliberation, some inaccurate readings were noticed in the CAT III ILS @ runway 18R (for international flights) at the MMA.

    6. Unfortunately, it was in the process of re-caliberating that the weather situation in Lagos changed for the worse, hence the disruption of international flights into Lagos. Some airlines opted to divert their flights to Kotoka airport (CAT II ILS) in Ghana, leaving innocent travellers stranded, when they could have easily diverted to Abuja (CAT III ILS), where flights to Lagos are regular.

    7. Please note that some international airlines diverted their flights to Abuja.

    8. Insinuation that perhaps the CAT III ILS equipment was never bought or never installed is akin to calling the dog a bad name just to hang it. The equipment was not only bought, it was installed.

    9. The weather phenomenon that reduced visibility at the International wing of the MMA is not unique to Nigeria. As this was happening in Nigeria, over 100 flights were being cancelled within the span of one week at Heathrow in London.

    10. The situation at the runway 18R at the MMA is being rectified and normal flights will resume shortly.

  • Man slumps, dies at Lagos airport

    Man slumps, dies at Lagos airport

    A passenger, identified as Chukwuma Anthony Ezeh, on Wednesday slumped and died at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

    An official source at the MMIA arrival terminal said the passenger slumped on arrival from China and died while waiting to collect his luggage

    Ezeh, according to information on his passport, was 47 years old at the time of the incident.

    A spokesperson for the police, MMIA Command, DSP Joseph Alabi, who confirmed the incident said the passenger came on Ethiopian Airline on Wednesday.

    According to him, the incident happened at about 3:15 p.m. and the deceased was confirmed dead at the MMIA Clinic.

    “While walking at the arrival hall the man slumped and died,” he said.

    Alabi added that Ezeh’s corpse had been deposited at the Air Force Base Hospital mortuary.

  • FAAN seals off unauthorized business outlets at Lagos Airport

    FAAN seals off unauthorized business outlets at Lagos Airport

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) during the week sealed off some business outlets and shops at the cargo wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos over unauthorized activities.

    The directive to carry out the sanitization exercise, sources hinted was on the orders of its managing director, Captain Hamisu Yadudu.

    Part of business outlets sealed off at the cargo wing of the airport, it was learnt include food vendors, clearing and cargo agents offices and other businesses at the terminal.

    Investigations reveal that FAAN management was irked over the uncouth attitude of some of the business outlets, who besides operating crossed the threshold in terms of time of operations at the airport.

    Sources hinted that some of the affected outlets were using their premises for unauthorized activities not covered by the terms of their contractual agreement with the airport authority.

    Irked over the unauthorized activities, the FAAN boss, the source said has insisted that the sealed off premises will remain closed until the operators sign a performance bond to desist from activities that will subject them to ridicule.

    Investigations reveal that FAAN has set up a task force to sanitize the activities of persons carrying out business at the cargo section of the terminal.