The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said that an official of Arik airline was apprehended while soliciting bribe from a passenger at the general aviation terminal in Lagos.
Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN confirmed the development in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.
Yakubu said that this called for concern at an emergency FAAN management meeting on the incessant extortion of passengers by airport officials at the nation’s airports and steps being taken to address the situation.
She said that the on-duty card of the erring official was withdrawn immediately, and she was handed over to the relevant security agency for appropriate action in order to serve as deterrent to other bad eggs in the airport.
According to her, recent embarrassing online videos where passengers complained of acts of extortion at the nation’s airport had necessitated the need to devise multi level strategies to curb the menace.
Yakubu said that the managing director, FAAN, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, directors of the Authority, Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Airport Managers and Airport Chiefs of Security were in attendance.
She said that the meeting also resolved that, henceforth, any erring airport official caught soliciting for bribes at the nation’s airports would be permanently denied access to working at the airports.
“Officials were also directed to always wear conspicuous name tags anytime they are on duty.’’
Yakubu said that Yadudu further directed the airport managers to ensure that all stakeholders at the airports are properly sensitised on the new development as there will be no sacred cows.
Meanwhile, the management of Arik Air has suspended the official, pending further investigations.
Mr Ola Adebanji, Manager, PR/Communications at Arik Air, confirmed the development in Lagos on Wednesday.
Adebanji said: “While the management conducts its own internal investigation, we wish to reassure FAAN of our cooperation on this matter if further investigation is required.
“We are fully in support of what FAAN is doing to rid our airports of this menace of corruption”.
