There was confusion at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos
State, on Tuesday, following the refusal of the Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to allow other security agencies working at
the terminal access to the restricted areas of the airport.
Aviation Security (AVSEC) of FAAN had demanded for the required On-Duty-Cards (ODCs) from all security personnel attached to the airport only to discover that most of the personnel were using expired ODC, which prompted the security officials to deny them access to the terminal.
Trouble started when a staff member of Nigerian Immigration Service, one Mr. C..S.I. Obasi, allegedly became violent and attacked an AVSEC official. This allegedly led to a free-for-all
Aviation Security (AVSEC) of FAAN had demanded for the required On-Duty-Cards (ODCs) from all security personnel attached to the airport only to discover that most of the personnel were using expired ODC, which prompted the security officials to deny them access to the terminal.
Trouble started when a staff member of Nigerian Immigration Service, one Mr. C..S.I. Obasi, allegedly became violent and attacked an AVSEC official. This allegedly led to a free-for-all
During the melee which lasted for over two hours, processing of the
outbound and inbound passengers was discontinued, a situation which led
to many passengers stranded while airlines that were scheduled to
airlift travelers could not do so.
Apart from immigration personnel affected by the restriction, other security agencies and aviation parastatals including Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigerian Airspace management Agency, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and others were also denied entry to the restricted areas while the crisis lasted.
The Public Relations Officer of Immigrations at the Airport command, Mr. Adebola Adetula, denied the allegation that its officer assaulted AVSEC staff on duty because of the issue.
Adetula said the AVSEC officers attacked its personnel, which led to blood coming out from his left eye.
He explained that Obasi had arrived the airport and proceeded to the E-arrival of the airport to commence his legitimate duty, but was prevented by the AVSEC official based on the allegation that his ODC had expired.
He added that despite all the entreaties to AVSEC to allow him in and process the passengers, he was refused and eventually attacked by the AVSEC officers at the arrival hall.
“The attacked officer just did surgery on that part of the eyes and it was there he was slapped by AVSEC officers on duty and his pair of glasses got broken. We had to complain to the Comptroller, Airport Command, Mrs. Chizoba Dibi, who in turn called the Chief Security Officer at the airport who said the ODC had expired and new ones ready for collection.
“It’s true that the ODC had expired since August 15 and it is the duty of FAAN to issue another one. We don’t issue ODC, but when we got there, we discovered that the ODCs were not even ready and they again gave us a week extension.”
However, a source at FAAN said that most of those who gained access to the security areas of the airport used expired ODC, which he said constituted security risk to the airport and the nation as a whole.
Apart from immigration personnel affected by the restriction, other security agencies and aviation parastatals including Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigerian Airspace management Agency, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and others were also denied entry to the restricted areas while the crisis lasted.
The Public Relations Officer of Immigrations at the Airport command, Mr. Adebola Adetula, denied the allegation that its officer assaulted AVSEC staff on duty because of the issue.
Adetula said the AVSEC officers attacked its personnel, which led to blood coming out from his left eye.
He explained that Obasi had arrived the airport and proceeded to the E-arrival of the airport to commence his legitimate duty, but was prevented by the AVSEC official based on the allegation that his ODC had expired.
He added that despite all the entreaties to AVSEC to allow him in and process the passengers, he was refused and eventually attacked by the AVSEC officers at the arrival hall.
“The attacked officer just did surgery on that part of the eyes and it was there he was slapped by AVSEC officers on duty and his pair of glasses got broken. We had to complain to the Comptroller, Airport Command, Mrs. Chizoba Dibi, who in turn called the Chief Security Officer at the airport who said the ODC had expired and new ones ready for collection.
“It’s true that the ODC had expired since August 15 and it is the duty of FAAN to issue another one. We don’t issue ODC, but when we got there, we discovered that the ODCs were not even ready and they again gave us a week extension.”
However, a source at FAAN said that most of those who gained access to the security areas of the airport used expired ODC, which he said constituted security risk to the airport and the nation as a whole.
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