Murtala Muhammed Airport: Thieves breach security, steal million-worth lighting components

...As Many heads of relevant departments go on suspension

Nine months after the multi-million Naira airfield lighting systems at the domestic runway 18 Runway/36Left of the Murtala Muhamed Airport were reinstalled, information reaching the Nigerian Tribune has indicated that the entire lighting system on the runway has been mysteriously carted away.

The criminals were said to have taken advantage of the closure of the runway for over three months to carry out the dangerous criminality at the number one gateway airport.

According to a source, the airfield lighting components were carted away by some workers at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in connivance with some outsiders who have access to the runway site.

“The criminal took advantage of the closure to commit the crime. I can not give the actual worth of the theft, but almost all the lighting was removed. The Permanent secretary came around to see for himself the huge damage done. A lot of FAAN officials have been suspended”, the source confirmed.

Following the scandal, some heads of relevant departments at the organisation have been suspended on the directives of the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Dr Emmanuel Meribole, after inspecting the damaged site. At the same time, investigations have since commenced to unravel those responsible for stealing the safety equipment.

The theft of the components, which has elicited anger amongst key players both in FAAN and the sector in general, has once again been blamed on the porosity of the airport environment, where many undesirable elements can easily access the restricted areas of the airport.

The ability of the thieves to comfortably remove the huge components away from the restricted airside undetected has been attributed to sabotage by some workers in the Authority and aided by the thick forest surrounding the airport, which makes it easier for such undesirable elements to hide behind cover till convenient opportunity comes for them to achieve their aims.

According to the information gathered, the latest theft of safety equipment at the Lagos airport was not the first incident, as the airport has recorded similar security breaches.

Not long ago, a similar incident occurred when some workers from a sister agency of FAAN who were involved in the theft of some navigational equipment at the airside were caught and suspended.

According to a source who confirmed the latest incident to the Nigerian Tribune, the regular incursion and theft of safety components at the airports are being carried out by a syndicate consisting of some workers of the agencies who have access to the restricted areas and accomplices from outside.

Despite the regular patrol of security vehicles around the airside, the undesirable elements have formed the habit of hiding behind the thick forests once they sight an oncoming security vans.

For 15 years the Lagos airport domestic runway 18Left was shut down to night operations due to the absence of airfield lightings which put the domestic airlines through financial stress as they were forced to make use of the runway 19 at the international airport which consumes more aviation fuel because of the longer distance.

The multi million airfield was finally reinstalling in November 2022.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/murtala-muhammed-airport-thieves-breach-security-steal-million-worth-lighting-components/

Inside job.

Nawaa ooo

Lol ... The Authority should look into the company that supplied the components.

Equipements such as these are not what can be hawked or purchased from roadsides.

Ọlọpa máa ko everybody

Nigeria ma quantree.

Who will rescue the ibos being killed daily in Anambra and southeast, if the killing continue like this who will vote for Obi in 2027?

#inside WORK Life

Inside job

Security are an accomplice

What do you guys think about what our beloved Peter Obi recently saying:
Like if you will support him again share if not.
https://www.nairaland.com/7759368/surely-president-2027-peter-obi

Damnnn niggar

Isoright

Africans

Mabizeka:
Inside job.

na real inside job

Ok

Some people about to go down ..

Wahala everywhere

The security personnels,Contractor and the supply of the raw materials should be held responsible.

See country😂😂😂

Tinubu is promising security for the whole of west Africa when he has been unable to secure Nigeria.

Tinubu is turning out to be yet another useless president, dozens of youth were killed in Benue last week, yet no word from him.

Notorious country

Make we tag them UNKNOWN THIEVES /same people that installed it STOLE it and will RESELL back to FG.

Isorite ooo

We will soon hear that tinubus phone and atm cards are missing in aso rock

Maxymilliano:
Lol ... The Authority should look into the company that supplied the components.

Equipements such as these are not what can be hawked or purchased from roadsides.

Not anymore

Sad...

Even the runways are no longer secure!

China should hasten up and recolonize Nigeria

The average Nigerian blood is filled with criminality. Imagine doing this at an international airport not some rinky dinky local airport. Obviously inside job including some of those oga at the top. Sadly nothing will come out of any suspension.

Inside parole



Check inside

All the manhole covers in Abuja stolen

Can the people put the type of energy they exhibited in Mmesoma issue in this case. I doubt my fellow citizens. Serious issues like this doesn't bother us, we are always after mere things.

Mabizeka:
Inside job.

I swear. Even monkey no say na lie

whirlout:
The average Nigerian blood is filled with criminality. Imagine doing this at an international airport not some rinky dinky local airport. Obviously inside job including some of those oga at the top. Sadly nothing will come out of any suspension.

Not the average