AS I travelled along the notorious Kaduna-Abuja expressway, on my way to catch a flight to New York enroute Lagos, I could not but wonder about the much-publicised work the federal government had done on the road so as to prepare Kaduna airport for the much anticipated ‘high airline and human traffic, local and international’.

Weighed side by side the cost of the project, some estimates put it beyond N1billion, it is not impressive.

One would have expected that the heavy duty trucks, the pestering street traders, and the filth of that road would have also been addressed in our quest to make Kaduna airport attractive. Sadly, all the issues mentioned still abound.

As promised by the federal government, security personnel and patrol vehicles were scattered about one kilometer apart on the Kaduna-Abuja expressway. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) were also not outdone in the ‘official show-off of government’. Hopefully, residents in those areas can sleep with both eyes closed while Abuja airport remains closed.

However, this ‘official show-off of government’ once again brings to fore our limited understanding of ‘security’. It would seem to managers of our national security architecture, that security is all about show of force, a display of armed, and many times frustrated, men and women who would not hesitate to vent their frustration on harmless civilians, ‘bloody civilians’.

So there was a long show of armed security operatives and siren-blaring convoys conveying passengers back and forth the Kaduna airport. Just like their counterpart siren-blaring bullion vans and VIP movements tell you of their movements. You may never know that such movements were happening until you hear the sirens and its twin brother – ‘gun totting’, ‘gra-gra’ showing security operatives.

Well, I finally arrive Kaduna airport and the first thing that hits you is that one of the first structures you see approaching an airport is not ready – the toll gate. Added to this is the manual collection in progress.

Lets not discuss the street lights on the airport road that are yet to be installed.

Well I brave all these ‘little’ concerns and walk into the ticket area. Oh my! The crowd is unbelievable. Well again, this was expected, wasn’t it? So how come we did not prepare for it? The VIP lounge is still under construction, among other construction works ongoing.

As I walked to my airline desk – Air Peace – to check-in, I realized that my flight has been rescheduled. I saw it on the boarding pass of the passenger in front of me who had just checked-in. The airline did not have the courtesy to tell the passengers.

I raise concerns about the sudden and unannounced shift of time from 1.50pm to 3.30pm and the Air Peace staff were quick to say ‘it’s not their fault, there was some issues with THEIR equipment…’ Its never our fault in Nigeria it would seem.

I tell the staff that I was rushing to catch an international flight in Lagos, hence that flight rescheduling would work against me. I therefore asked for a refund or an arrangement to put me in another ‘ready-to-depart’ flight of another airline. I was talking to the wind.

Air Peace would neither refund nor put me in another flight in the event that I could not wait for the rescheduled flight. Yes, they would be gracious enough to have me fly that leg another day, on their flight, at no extra cost. Clap for Air Peace!

Frustrated I went to Dana Air to get a fresh ticket, as the airline had an earlier Lagos flight. Of course it was for a higher-than-normal fare.

I managed to get a ticket for Four Hundred Naira (N400) shy of Forty Thousand Naira (N40,000). At the point of payment, I was scandalized when I was told that I must pay pay by cash. Dana Air does not have a POS machine. Excuse me! Believe it!

Okay, where is the nearest ATM so I could withdraw some cash in this cashless era of the federal government. Then the bomb! There is not a single ATM machine in Kaduna airport. Unbelievable!

After getting through the shocks, I finally ‘borrow’ cash and get a ticket.

As we passed through airport security checks, I was dumbfounded, yet again.

Many non-travelers, non-protocol officers, who had no business whatsoever in the departure lounge, where allowed through security. The level of ‘man-know-man’, ‘paddy paddy’ atmosphere at the airport security area is scary. For example, airport food vendors were given unhindered access (based on recognition) without proper search, every time, just like friends and relatives of travelling passengers were allowed to the departure lounge.

Travel through Kaduna road and the airport and you will understand why major airlines refused to fly there. In matters as this, it is reason, not emotions, which should prevail.

For me, for now, flights through Kaduna airport is suspended.

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