By Chinedu
Eze
Working
on a tip off of a possible security compromise fuelling insinuations of a
bomb scare, some heavily armed men of the Nigerian Air Force
yesterday invaded the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, raiding
concessionaires operating at the airport terminal and shutting down
a number of
Bureau de change shops in the area. Some individuals were also said to have
been arrested and taken into an unknown location.
In the
operation which took place at 12 noon, about the same time the first bomb
explosion was recorded in a Kaduna town, the armed Air Force
officers were said to have broken into some shops and of bureau de Change
offices looking for possible documents, weapons and persons, as their search took
them to the airside of the airport to the arrival halls.
The Air
Force officials were led by the Airport Commandant, Group Captain Victor
Ajiboye and according to users of the airport who witnessed the incident, their
action disrupted activities, including facilitation at the airport, as
passengers and airline officials were petrified with fear.
The
network of security operatives at the airport were said to have been kept in
the dark on the reason for the swift operation
An official of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN) told THISDAY that neither the Chief Security Officer (CSO) nor the airport terminal manager was informed about the intension of the Air Force officials.
An official of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN) told THISDAY that neither the Chief Security Officer (CSO) nor the airport terminal manager was informed about the intension of the Air Force officials.
The official
said that other security operatives at the international wing of the airport
including the senior officials of Aviation Security (AVSEC) under FAAN,
as well as other security agencies including the Nigeria Police, Immigration,
Customs and Excise were also not informed.
An
official of FAAN who witnessed the incident told THISDAY, “They (the Air Force
officials) didn’t contact anybody, not even the CSO. You can’t do such thing;
at least you contact the SCO or the airport manager so that the people you are
going for will not escape
Offices
belonging to some bureau de change operators that were short
include : Sulah Bureau de Change , Kings Bureau De Change , Vida Sem, Westgate
Pharmacy, Kilimanjaro Eatery , Global Link Mini Market , EddyBurger Eatery,
Famous Link , and Leader Investment Company Limited. Some offices were
shut when the operatives got in their were forced open .
Some
airport workers who lamented the invasion said it was wrong for the Air Force
officers to carry out such raid without informing other security operatives
abreast of the event.
Also workers who were not wearing their on duty cards fled the halls to escape the rampaging harassment of the Air Force officials.
Also workers who were not wearing their on duty cards fled the halls to escape the rampaging harassment of the Air Force officials.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please comment before Leaving, it matters alot to us.