Members of the Aviation Security of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), on Wednesday, apprehended a man, Alabibu Olushola, who was attempting to stow away in a taxing aircraft on the tarmac of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
Yakubu Dati, FAAN spokesperson explained that the culprit was arrested as soon as he scaled the perimeter fence near the moving aircraft and after interrogation by the Avsec staff, he was immediately handed over to the police for further interrogation.
Cases of stowaways and suspected stowaways have been a recurring decimal at the airport but FAAN said it will no longer condole any unauthorsed loitering by either staff or any other person around the airports, especially in sensitive places.
“The Authority wishes to remind members of the public that access to restricted areas of the airport, including the tarmac and perimeter roads, is prohibited for unauthorized people, including airport staff, who have no business being there. This is more so in view of the present security situation in the country.
“The Authority will henceforth not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any person, including unauthorized airport staff, who is found loitering around restricted areas of all our airport”, Dati said.
Meanwhile, the Management of Medview Airline yesterday commended the crew of one of its flight for assisting security agencies to arrest a man at the runway of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos
In a statement, the airline said the action of the crew, which led to the arrest and the return of the aircraft to the tarmac for security check was in line with ICAO recommended best practices on aviation security.
According to the statement, the Maiduguri bound aircraft via Abuja was taxing to the threshold for take-off when the pilot sited a man on the active runway and alerted the control tower on his observation and requested for aviation security personnel.
While still taxiing, the pilot noticed that the same man has crossed to the threshold, and was moving towards the aircraft, and had to alert the control tower again for security.
The man got entangled with the engine thrust pilot increased the speed of the engine before he was picked up by security agents.
The pilot asked for permission to return to base, where security agencies including Bomb disposal Squad conducted a thorough check on all passengers, luggage and the entire aircraft and appropriate clearance was given.
