‘It’s a crime’ — NCAA to investigate blockage of Lagos airport airside by bus

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says it will investigate the parking of a bus on the airside of an airport during the industrial action by aviation unions.

Airside is the restricted operational area of an airport where aircraft operate.

A picture circulating on social media shows an Air Peace bus parked on the airside and another video shows it being towed away.

Passengers were left stranded at the Lagos and Abuja airports after labour unions picketed Air Peace outlets over alleged non-remittance of ticket sale charge (TSC) and violations of workers’ unionisation rights.

The disruption affected access to terminals at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

According to reports, the driver of the bus drove into the airside and parked there while the picketing was ongoing, and had to be towed away by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to allow the free movement of aircraft and other airport operations.

Speaking to TheCable on Tuesday, Michael Achimugu, director of public affairs and consumer protection at the NCAA, said parking the vehicle on the airside constituted an offence and whoever was responsible should be arrested.

Achimugu said the NCAA would investigate the incident and take appropriate action against anyone found responsible.

“It is a crime to do that and whoever does that should be arrested. We will investigate and whoever it is, there will be no sacred cow,” he said.

Osifo-Whiskey Efe, spokesperson for Air Peace, told TheCable he could not immediately comment on the incident.

“I can’t answer you on this at the moment. I will have to get back to you on this,” he said.

Efe also clarified that the vehicle was not parked on the runway but on the airside.

Efforts to reach FAAN for further details on the incident were unsuccessful.

‘OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES AFFECTING FLIGHTS MOVEMENT WITHIN AIRSIDE ADDRESSED’

Earlier, FAAN said it was monitoring developments arising from the industrial action by aviation unions and working with relevant agencies, airlines and security agencies to minimise its impact on airport operations.

The authority said earlier operational challenges affecting the movement of some flights within the airside environment had been addressed through inter-agency coordination.

“In the interim, FAAN is working closely with the relevant aviation agencies, airlines, security agencies and other stakeholders to minimise the impact of the industrial action and ensure that airport operations are not disrupted,” the authority said.

“The authority also confirms that earlier operational challenges affecting the movement of some flights within the airside environment have been addressed through ongoing inter-agency coordination, and measures are being sustained to support the orderly continuation of flight operations.”

FAAN reiterated its commitment to ensuring that Nigeria’s airports remain safe, secure, functional and accessible to passengers and other airport users.
(TheCable)