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Tag: Murtala Muhammed International Airport

  • ‘We were all frightened’ – Passenger Of U.S-bound plane recounts scary experience

    ‘We were all frightened’ – Passenger Of U.S-bound plane recounts scary experience

    One of the passengers from U.S.-bound United Airlines plane which made emergency air return to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Friday has recounted his experience.

    It would be recalled that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) rescue team confirmed the air return, noting that it safely deboarded 256 passengers from plane.

    The flight, carrying 245 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots, was reportedly en route through the Ivory Coast airspace when the emergency occurred.

    Speaking the passenger said, “The flight took off at 11:50 pm. All through, we (passengers) did not experience any turbulence. We were flying well without any issue until we reached Senegal. At the time, it had been announced to us (passengers) that we could unfasten our seatbelts. The plane was on autopilot when it happened. We had also been served food and drinks.

    “There were three pilots. The major one had gone to use the restroom and another took charge when we noticed a sudden drop. The impact of the drop resulted in my slamming my head against the plane’s roof. You can see in some of the pictures that I just showed you that there were blood stains on the plane’s roof.

    “After hitting my head, I was unconscious for a while because one of the medical personnel on the plane was brave enough to assist me to regain awareness. When I regained consciousness, I saw that everyone was terrified. I heard people shouting ‘God of Chosen. God of Prophet Ebuka of Zion.’

    “We were all frightened. One black flight attendant was so scared. In fact, there was a woman who wanted to use the restroom when the incident happened, she was badly injured. Three times, the plane dropped with force, and the pilot struggled to make the plane ascend.

    “This happened for 20 minutes, although we flew for about four hours. While this was happening, we were told by the pilot that navigation was lost. We were told so many things. However, the pilot was brave enough to successfully return us to Lagos.”

    Nobody Communicated To Us At The Hotel

    He further stated, “When we landed in Lagos, we were all taken to Ibis Hotel, Airport Road, Lagos, where the airline promised to communicate to us through the hotel’s reception. However, at 12:00 pm on Friday, nobody communicated anything to us. Therefore, I had to come down from my room, go to the reception where I saw other passengers.

    “One of the passengers told me that he had to go to their office (United’s) and had been booked for another flight for tomorrow (Saturday).

    “At that point, I joined another set of passengers going from the hotel to United’s office. On getting there, the airline wanted to book me on Turkish Airlines travelling this evening (Friday), but I rejected. I told them I would fly United at the same time tomorrow (Saturday) because it is a direct flight.”

  • NDLEA intercepts large consignment of ‘Loud’ concealed in loudspeakers at Lagos airport

    NDLEA intercepts large consignment of ‘Loud’ concealed in loudspeakers at Lagos airport

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), have intercepted a large consignment of Loud, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis (Indian hemp) at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos.

    This is contained in a statement by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.

    Babafemi said the drugs was concealed in giant loudspeakers tucked in a consolidated cargo imported from New York, United States of America.

    He said the giant wooden boxes dressed as sound speakers was seized by NDLEA officers at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO)  import shed of the Lagos airport,

    According to him, when it was opened , the sound boxes were stuffed with 60 bags of the expensive but highly sought-after psychoactive substance, Loud, weighing 33.5 kilograms.

    “At least, three suspects: a freight agent Akeem Afeez; logistics company manager Babalola Ayodeji and the receiver of the consignment Taiwo Olusegun have been arrested.

    “They were intercepted in follow-up operations between Thursday Feb. 15 and Friday Feb. 16. Afeez was arrested at the airport and Ayodeji was nabbed at his office on Allen Avenue Ikeja.

    “Taiwo traced to his residence at 13 Ayo Babatunde Crescent, Lekki Phase1, Lagos, where he was picked on Friday, Feb. 16, “ he said.

    Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.- Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of the MMIA, for their outstanding feats in the past week.

    Marwa equally lauded their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures,  thus,  creating a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

  • NDLEA arrests owner of drug consignment that caused Lagos airport furore

    NDLEA arrests owner of drug consignment that caused Lagos airport furore

    NDLEA now has in their custody the suspected owner of a consignment of tramadol concealed in a bottle of dietary supplements, which caused a furore at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja on Tuesday.

    NDLEA’s spokesman, Mr Mr Femi Babafemi, stated on Sunday that the suspect was arrested on Friday.

    A viral video had claimed that the suspect being tortured on his knees while being slapped by another on Tuesday was an employee of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    The man was being tortured by a passenger for attempting to use the latter to traffic drugs to Accra.

    FAAN on Wednesday distanced itself from the man and declared that he was an employee of an aviation services company operating within the airport premises.

    FAAN stated that the passenger resorted to slapping the officer whom he had compelled to kneel before him after he had raised an alarm alleging that he was being set up for drug trafficking.

    Babafemi stated on Sunday that FAAN transferred the suspect and the exhibit to the NDLEA on Thursday.

    “Preliminary findings by NDLEA showed the parcel contained 50 pills of tramadol concealed in a bottle of dietary supplements.

    “A follow-up operation by the NDLEA led to the arrest of the suspect upon his return from Ghana on Friday. He has confirmed ownership of the drug,’’ Babafemi stated.

    He added that two freight agents and a traveller have also escaped being roped into two drug trafficking operations by desperate traffickers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

    Babafemi said that the two agents were contacted to send a consignment of 1kg Indian hemp concealed in tins of chocolate drink to Turkey.

    The agents chose to submit the shipment to NDLEA checks before processing the cargo, however.

  • NDLEA nabs India-bound businessman with heroin at Lagos airport

    NDLEA nabs India-bound businessman with heroin at Lagos airport

    A businessman, Kingsley Celestino, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, with over 9.40kg of heroin concealed in false bottoms of his two travelling bags, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Kingsley, the India-bound businessman, who was a business class passenger on Qatar Airlines flight, got arrested at Terminal 2 of the MMIA on Saturday, March 4, on his way to India.

    Though the businessman is a native of Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, the 49-year-old was travelling with a Guinean international passport.

    The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed these in a statement on Sunday.

    Babafemi said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect frequently travels to India on business class tickets. He claimed he deals in the clothing business between Nigeria and India. It was further established that he obtained the Guinean international passport in Guinea Bissau, where he said his mother came from.

    “In the same vein, a 24-year-old passenger travelling to Oman, Etounu Monday, was intercepted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday, February 27, during the outward clearance of Ethiopian Airline flight ET 950 while attempting to export 1.924kg of skunk concealed in cream tubes.”

    Also, at the Tincan seaport, Lagos, the NDLEA operatives on Friday, March 3, recovered 244 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 79 kilograms concealed in medium size wooden sound system speakers packed inside two out of four used vehicles in a container marked CRSU9258348 coming from Toronto via Montreal, Canada. The imported vehicles used as cover for the drugs are a 2009 Jeep Wrangler and a 2009 Honda Ridgeline.

    NDLEA nabs India-bound businessman with heroin at Lagos airport
    Similarly, the NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, attached to courier firms in Lagos intercepted a consignment of nine parcels of methamphetamine concealed in native black soap, Dudu Osun, heading to Europe.

    Babafemi also noted that no fewer than 778,190 pills of pharmaceutical opioids including tramadol and a drum of 270kg Methylene Chloride were recovered by operatives from a suspect, Eric Pepe Yohanna, 33, in Jalingo, Taraba State, on Monday, February 27, following credible intelligence. Also seized from him is a Daylong tricycle used in distributing the illicit substances.

    In Adamawa State, the house of a wanted notorious drug dealer, Mamudu Njobdi, at Sebore, Gyalla road Dougada ward, Mubi was raided in the early hours of Monday, February 27, where the suspect was arrested and drug exhibits were recovered.

    The 31-year-old suspect was earlier arrested on Wednesday, February 22, at his drug joint in Kolere water board but mobilised thugs to attack the NDLEA officers and in the process escaped with exhibits.

    While a suspect, Geoffrey Okpani, 31, was arrested at Bukuru area of Jos, Plateau State, with 27.45kg of cannabis, Ajayi Tope, 30, was arrested on Saturday, March 4, at Area 5 Ile-Ife, in Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State with 18kg of the same substance.

    In Lagos, the NDLEA operatives on Friday, March 3 raided De-Niche Hotel & Suites, Omole Estate, Ojodu Ikeja where 24 suspects were arrested and different quantities of illicit drugs recovered from them.

  • Breaking: NAF plane crash-lands in Lagos International Airport

    Breaking: NAF plane crash-lands in Lagos International Airport

    A Nigerian Airforce Jet on Monday, crash-landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos state.

    The plane conveying six passengers crash-landed on Runway 18R at the airport, with no casualties recorded.

    An eyewitness said; “Airforce jet crash-lands in Lagos airport at Runway 18R,” the source said.

    “It happened at an area called “18 right” right at the Lagos airport.

    “It had a landing gear problem, meaning the tires refused to come out for landing. The pilot landed the aircraft on the bush, a smart move.

    “Six people were on board; they are all safe.”

  • How NDLEA seized Tramadol, Exol 5 worth over N5 billion at 3 Airports

    How NDLEA seized Tramadol, Exol 5 worth over N5 billion at 3 Airports

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Sunday it has seized not less than 9.5 million tablets of pharmaceutical opioids (Tramadol and Exol 5), worth over N5 billion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Edo state.

     

    NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement, said the seizures were made by operatives of the NDLEA, and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

     

    Babafemi said, “Of the figure, 214 cartons of Tramadol 225 under 10 different brand names, which translate to 9, 219, 400 tablets weighing 6, 384.5kg, with an estimated street value of N4, 609, 700, 000 were transferred on Tuesday 29th March alongside 85 cartons of dried Khat leaves with a total weight of 1, 327.35kg by the Nigerian Customs to the MMIA Command of NDLEA as a symbol of the synergy between the two law enforcement agencies.

     

    “In Abuja, about 228,740 tablets and capsules of Tramadol and Exol 5 were intercepted on Friday 1st April at Abaji area of the FCT. The truck conveying the drugs was loaded in Lagos heading to Kano. Though the truck driver escaped into the bush during the search of the vehicle, two of his assistants; Usman Abdulmumini, 23 and Aminu Ahmad, 22, were arrested.

     

    “At the Port Harcourt International Airport, PHIA, a Brazilian returnee Nnanna Anayo Michael, 39, was arrested during the inward screening of passengers on board Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Doha to Port Harcourt on Tuesday, 29th March. Nnanna who hails from Ekwusigo, Anambra State was arrested with 73 sachets weighing 8.15 kilograms of cocaine, which is the largest seizure of such at the airport, since it began international flight operations years ago.”

     

    Babafemi said during the preliminary interview, Nnanna said he departed Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sunday midnight en route Qatar to Port Harcourt.

     

    “He claimed an unidentified person in Sao Paulo gave him six-bed sheets in which the drug was concealed to deliver to another unidentified person at Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa. The 73 cocaine sachets were hidden in 4×1 feet factory sewn colourful bed sheets. Five of the bed sheets contain 12 sachets each, while the sixth bed sheet contains 13 sachets,” the Agency’s spokesman said.

     

    He added that an immediate follow-up operation led to the arrest of 50-year-old Monday Alaisu, who travelled from Lagos to pick the drug from Nnenna.

     

    “He was arrested at the airport’s car park where he was waiting to receive Nnenna with the latter’s photograph taken at the Brazilian airport and his international passport’s Data Page in his hand,” Babafemi said.

     

    He said in Oyo state, 17.6kg of cannabis was transferred along with a suspect, Ramon Dauda, 40, to the state command of NDLEA by the Oyo/Osun Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service.

     

    He added that narcotics officers on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Thursday 31st March intercepted a consignment of 10kg cannabis and 12.1grams of amphetamine in a commercial bus.

     

    He said a follow-up operation in Ilesa, Osun state led to the arrest of the owner of the drug exhibits, Mrs Remi Aluko, 44.

     

    The statement reads, “Three drug joints were raided at Wire road, Benin City and Uromi town in Esan Central LGA where 188 pinches of Cocaine and Heroin were recovered with five suspects arrested. In another raid in Okada town, a patent medicine dealer, Harrison Odion was arrested with 70 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup; 9,638 Tramadol capsules; 16,843 tablets of Exol-5; 80 tablets of Diazepam and 62 ampules of Diazepam injection. In the same vein, operatives in the state destroyed seven clusters of dry season Cannabis Sativa farms in Okpuje Forest along the banks of River Ose totalling 3.124998 hectares.

     

    “At least, seven drug dealers were arrested in raids in parts of Kano with 80 kilograms of codeine and pentazocine injection seized from them. Those picked in Rijiyar Zaki, Brigade, Yan-Kaba, Tudun Wada, Karfi, Ungogo and Nassarawa areas of the state include Muhammad Adamu; Abba Sani; and Auwalu Muhammad, among others.

     

    “While commending the working relationship between NDLEA and other security agencies in the country, Chairman/Chief Executive of the anti-narcotic agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged officers and men of the MMIA, PHIA, FCT, Edo, Oyo and Kano Commands not to rest on their oars.”

  • FAAN apologizes over power outage in Murtala Muhammed International Airport

    FAAN apologizes over power outage in Murtala Muhammed International Airport

    Following power outage at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Friday, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has apologised to passengers and other airport users.

     

    In a statement by the spokesperson for FAAN, Mrs Faithful Hope-ivbaze, in Lagos on Saturday, the outage occurred at about 11.15 p.m on April 1.

     

    “FAAN wishes to apologise to passengers and other airport users that witnessed a temporary power outage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 23: 15 hours yesterday, April 1, 2022.

     

    “The outage, which was as a result of yesterday’s rain, that came with very fierce winds and storms, a natural occurrence, affected one of our feeders, and consequently resulted in the temporary disruption of power supply at the D wing of the airport.

     

    “However, our engineers quickly discovered the fault, and liaised with the Ejigbo duty/area control office of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria and together resolved the problem.

     

    “Normalcy has since been restored at the affected area,” she said.