Flight operations and other activities
were on Tuesday disrupted at the Lagos international airport, following a
clash between officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria
and the Nigeria Immigration Service.
It was gathered that the clash occurred
around 8.30am after FAAN’s security outfit, the Aviation Security,
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 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 Services, Nigerian Customs
Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Some officials of the Nigerian Airspace
management Agency and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority were also turned
back by the security personnel.
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.
