Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN said it caused over 90 touts at both the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to be arrested by Nigerian police for carrying out illegal activities. Confirming the arrest, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, said the arrests is part of efforts to rid the nation’s airports of touting and extortion. She also said that of the number arrested, 59 were handed over to the airport police command in Abuja for prosecution, while 30 were handed over to the police force in Lagos to do the same.
According to Yakubu, “the touts were arrested for various acts of illegality including Fake Covid-19 test results,Touting, Unauthorised entry, Trespass, Illegal Facilitation, Forgery, Loitering, Theft, Public nuisance and arguments, amongst others. Some of those arrested are staff of Patovilki Nigeria Limited, Lakewood Services, NAHCO Plc, and other airport staff. We are using this opportunity to warn those that do not have any legitimate business at the airports, as well as airport staff carrying out illegal duties to desist from such acts, as the Authority will not hesitate to arrest and hand over such individuals for prosecution,” FAAN Spokeswoman warned
Meanwhile, Nigeria Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO has asked FAAN to disclose the identity of its staff arrested for illegal activities at the airports. A statement from the company’s management yesterday while reacting to the arrest read, ” NAHCO is in support of the arrest of airport staff for touting and other vices. We commend the move. NAHCO is a responsible player in the industry, as such, will not condone any form of illegality. We urge FAAN to always carry us along in this fight. The current move will in no small measure help our industry to grow as well as bring sanity to the airports. We will however engage FAAN, to provide us the our personnel alleged to be involved, to enable us to activate our internal disciplinary process as we currently do not have any clue as to who is involved, when, and in what capacity,” the statement added.