Sporadic Gunshots, Murtala Muhammed International Airport In Pandemonium

According to Punch two people were injured on Wednesday at the cargo section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos following a clash between officials of the Nigeria Customs Service and clearing agents over alleged manhandling of a senior customs officer.
Punch newspaper report that as a result of the fracas, business activities were brought to a halt at the cargo section of the airport as people scampered for safety after sporadic gunshots were reportedly heard at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company.

It was gathered that in a bid to restore peace to the scene of the incident, riot police were stationed in the area with an Amoured Personnel Carrier, APC and about eight custom patrol pick-ups were also drafted in.

Investigation revealed that trouble began when the Customs Area Comptroller, Taju Olarewaju, attempted to enter NAHCO warehouse as part of measures to implement some reforms that would make the clearing of goods seamless. Olarewaju, who resumed duties at the MMA a few months ago, was prevented from gaining entry despite introducing himself as the CAC.

One of the agents was said to have pushed him, a situation that reportedly infuriated other customs agents.  Attempts by other customs officials to prevent the CAC from being assaulted, it was gathered, led to the fracas.

Agents were driven out of their offices allegedly by customs officials, who allegedly reinforced from the Federal Operations Unit, while some were trapped in their offices, as they could not flee from the scene of the incident.

While confirming the ugly incident, the President of the Association of Foreign Airlines’ Representatives in Nigeria, Mr. Kingsley Nwokoma, stated that some agents were disgruntled by some of the changes the CAC had been trying to introduce to the airport.

He said: “We learnt that the CAC was manhandled and his car was also vandalised in the process by agents who have not been comfortable with the tight measures he introduced at the warehouse to reduce the issues of underhand dealings and short cuts there.

“As a result, air force police and soldiers had to be drafted to the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order.”  Also commenting on the development, Yemi Adegbusi, an agent, said that the CAC tried to gain entry into the warehouse during their break time, which was against the agent’s rule.

He said that the customs started beating up everyone, including women, at the cargo terminal complex.  An attempt to hear the side of the Public Relations Officer of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Mr. Emmanuel Njoku, was not successful as he refused to comment on the issue.

Only three weeks ago, there was pandemonium at the Lagos airport following a fire outbreak in the top floor.  It was reported that the inferno covered the second floor of the terminal of MMIA, before it was swiftly put out.

According to a source at the airport, the fire started at the second floor of the terminal in the commercial department of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) during a surge in electricity supply.



Punch