Rip-offs At Nigerian Airports

I don't know what other people go through, but recently i have had very nasty experiences in Nigerian airports:

1. Friday 2th Apr.- Counted N 16k and paid for a one-way early morning Chanchangi ticket  to Abuja from Lagos only for the sales girl at the counter to tell me I gave her 15k. My insistence attracted her colleagues who all joined to defend her, as if i gave her the cash in their presence. One of the even mocked the it is "too early" for me to make noise just for 1 k. I had to pay up the 1k to make my flight for an early morning appointment in Abuja.

2. Wednesday 30th April.-- An unusual crowd of travellers outside Abuja to combine Thursday's public holiday with Friday and the weekend. Airport touts were having a field day. You have to part with b/w 18-20k for a 16k ticket. Aero Contractors jerked up their tickets from 17-19 k. all flights were declared fully booked, if u are not ready t pay through the touts. 9the touts are actually airline staff) and they conduct their nefarious activities with some tacit approval from their employers. Vowed never to pay a kobo to any tout and has to pass another night in Abuja.

3. Sunday 11th May----- Almost late for my 10:35 am Virgin Atlantic flight to London due to the early morning heavy rains, but thank goodness I made it. At the last checkpoint in the MMIA before reaching the departure gates, An NDLEA official by name ADEBAYO, fully aware we are about to miss our flight, seized our passports ( I and two other guys) and told us to "put our heads together" if we don't want to miss our flight.   We ranted about extortion, our rights, etal, all to no avail. one of us even offered him N 1k which he refused saying we should have forex on us. It took the special grace of God to make that flight because that guy took us to a searching room, and for all I know he could have planted drugs on us and accused us of being peddlers had we insisted on not playing to his tunes.

I hate to say it, but our Airports are really havens of extortion

Fellow Nairalanders, what is happening in Naija? do you have any airport stories to tell?

   Though anything is possible with Nigerian employees, but how can you be certain that the amount you gave was the right figure?
   As for me, i'd rather avoid a noise for 1k, though 

   An airline company that allows its ticket staffs to carry out such unconventional behaviour; hmmm, i wonder how they control their aircraft maintenance staffs: this explains the reason why aircrash in Nigeria is not unheard of

   I always tell people that there is a big difference between Bribery and Robbery. This is a clear case of robbery.

For Pete's sake, this is your motherland you are talking about here. 

@Poster!
Those guys are really weird and crazy!You have to pray very well so that one does not meet their kind when at the airports ooo,I have escorted people to the airports so mant times and when I was travelling,I had the same fracas with them,all they understand is money and if you don't have it on you,you berra call on God ooooo!its scary at times when they begin to say rubbish all in the name of asking for money.

Thanks Frando
At times common sense supercedes intellect

My guy i feel u o jare!You have to be smart at times and not engage in battle of words with those devils they call immigration officials,although some of them could be wonderful and some could be very stubborn,so you need to act and think smartly anytime you are in Nigeria airport and the fact that you gave in to their demands does not make you guilty.They have no destination,the only destination they will ever know is at that airport and you are going somewhere so give them what they need and not what they want and move on to your own destination!Sefini

Ododo Oro(true talk)!I wonder sometimes what servicom is doing?There is just no authentic voice to complain to in Nigeria,so one has to make do with what one has,God factor and sometimes giving what is ceasars to ceasars!

@Dis Guy,

I will do that, if I have any problems with any airport official.

@Everyone, which airline is the best from Lagos to Abuja?

well put.

goodking

If you are refering to me, then i am glad to inform you that am a true Nigerian; Born and bred, unlike some people, i am not ashamed of my identity. I just believe in my rights and i fight to keep it.

When a friend of mine was going back to the UK ,a custom chap told my friend 2 give him 100 pounds just like that, when my friend refused the custom cha told him bluntly that " I go plant drutgs inside your luggage now and we go see who go suffer am, my friend got scared and quickly gave the man the money.

My dear friend Novice 1,

it will be very good if we can be using this partsway to tell the world what is going wrong with our system, as you know in our conutry today, because of all this fackes drugs, drinks and foods, even fack buildings across the states, they are the fack product of our so called criminallykind brothers givings us their products that kill. to those people, my judgement to them if i am the president is death. they kill everyday all beacuse they want to make money.

Regards,

Good king

@novice1

Some ideas you can use:

Don't trust anybody anywhere when it comes to money (small or big) so I operate by certain rules. I use ATM card to book local flights make purchases with checks (pick up items later) or I count the money, notes after notes into your hands.
I hate arguments and wont put myself in the line of fire with any frustrated and desperate person.

It pays to purchase tickets online these days (especially with AERO and Virgin), should be a good way to avoid touts, arguments over money and all. I don't fly Chachangi and the others - have had to travel by road from Abuja to Kaduna and back to avoid this airline (rather than fly Lagos to Kaduna with Chachangi).

It is a good idea to get names of airlines officials and let them know you will be making an official report later. It may not work all the time but is a good tactic.

The international airport is another game entirely, one of the challenges I face has been with taking foodstuffs out (no matter how small). I have always played on their emotions by saying "it will be unfair visiting our naija people abroad and not take some naija food to remind them of home". My fall back plan is to threaten to abandon the food for them. It has worked well so far and I pray I continue to get lucky.

The NDLEA guy knows he has no rights to do what he did but played on your desperation and ignorance. Sorry about that. Only the immigration officials should handle your passport but many people don't know this. You should learn how to politely decline handing over your passport to the other guys when next you are there.

My major issue with the Intl airport is the long queue to clear immigration when departing. I was once on that queue for about 3hrs but I get to airport very early these days. Hope they get to expand that section to take care of the congestion.

God bless Nigeria.

@igbonla    well said.

It is absolutely shameful that we are a people who seem to be corrupt beyond redemption. Most Nigerians are corrupt and, given the chance, will show their true corrupt nature. The same Nigerians isult the leaders when things don't go right in the system.

I have also had a few altercations at the MMIA in the past. Everyone there seems to be out to extort anyone and everyone. IT'S REALLY SHAMEFUL.

I feel for the guy who got his passport taken by NDLEA officials who have absolutely no right to check people's passports BUT I have also had the same issue before. I remember trying to tell an NDLEA official that he had no right to check my passport and the immigration official standing by explained to me that the guy had a right to check my passport. What does one do in such an instance?

The issue of taking food abroad is comething else. As soon as they see you're taking some Nigerian delicacy with you, you are a target for them. The last time, I had to insult the idiot who questioned me about it and I sent it back to my brother who had seen me off to the airport.

If so many of us are always looking to exploit others, why do we have a right to complain about the state of the nation? Nigerians are corrupt and have no right to complain about corruption. The same animals extorting at the airports will tell you that Nigeria is too corrupt and things need to change. they don't want to change anything first.

i think using the camera phone at these points is a good idea, trust me i dislike curropt officials especially those that are supposed to be protecting us, instead they try to bully you into giving them money. This is black mail and robbery. Guys get evidence on your phones   from there, we can expose them trust me. If you act you can make a difference because by coming on this forum and rattling will make no difference. Just get evidence. You never can tell, your little bits can make the diffence. keep your head up!