Flight operations and other activities were on Tuesday disrupted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, following a clash between Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigeria Immigration Service officers.
The clash occurred around 8.30 a.m. after FAAN’s security outfit, Aviation Security (AVSEC), prevented other security agencies from gaining access to the restricted areas of the airport.
AVSEC personnel had demanded that all security officers attached to the airport must present their On-Duty Cards (ODCs) before being allowed into the restricted areas.
During the screening, it was discovered that most of the personnel were using expired ODCs to access the restricted areas of the airport, which prompted FAAN to deny them access to the terminal.
Those affected by the restriction included officers of NIS, Department of State Security Service (DSS), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Some officials of the Nigerian Airspace management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) were also turned back by the security personnel.
A source, who witnessed the screening, said that one of the immigration officers, Mr C.S.I. Obasi, while trying to resist the AVSEC security officers, was injured in his left eye.
The development degenerated to a heated exchange between officers of both agencies, which eventually led to the discontinuation of the processing of the outbound and in-bound passengers.
Passengers were left stranded at the airport for over two hours as the airlines could not carry out their flight operations.
The Public Relations Officer of the NIS, Airport Command, Mr Adebola Adetula, told aviation correspondents that Obasi was assaulted by AVSEC officers while trying to do his job.
Adetula said that the NIS officer had arrived at the airport and proceeded to the E-arrival of the airport but was prevented from carrying out his duty by AVSEC based on the allegation that his ODC had expired.
He added that in spite of all entreaties to AVSEC to allow him in and process the passengers, he was refused and eventually attacked by the AVSEC officers.
While confirming that Obasi’s ODC had expired since August 15, he argued that it was the responsibility of FAAN to issue a fresh one to immigration officers.
Adetula said:”The attacked officer just did surgery on that part of the eye and it was there he was slapped by AVSEC officers on duty and his glasses got broken.”
However, a FAAN source who spoke on condition of anonymity, debunked the claim that Obasi was assaulted by AVSEC officers.
The source said it was a security risk for people to be allowed into restricted areas within the airport without a valid ODC.
According to the source, this is the major reason that AVSEC officers are demanding for the card, adding that it is in line with global aviation safety regulation.
A similar clash between FAAN officers and those of the Nigeria Customs Service took place on June 3 over the same issue.
