The management of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has commended the Comptroller, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos Command, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap for her cooperation at ensuring that two personnel of her command accused of extorting a passenger at the airport were not shielded from disciplinary actions.
In a statement by the Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN Mrs. Faithful A. Hope-Ivbaze, said the Comptroller has shown cooperation at from identifying, investigating and discipline of the erring Immigration personnel.
“We would like to express our appreciation to the Comptroller of Immigration, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMA), Lagos. and her team for her cooperation and support in addressing this issue,” she said.
Hope-Ivbaze added, “Upon investigation, they found the allegation to be true, as the officers involved were identified with the help of footages on our CCTV facility, and the cooperation from the Nigerian Immigration Service.
“Consequently, the officers were made to refund the exact amount collected from the passenger.
“Their On Duty Cards were also withdrawn permanently, and they have been banned from working in any Nigerian airport, to serve as deterrent to others.”
The FAAN spokeswoman who also said the indicted immigration personnel were made to face Airport disciplinary action after they found guilty of the office, affirmed that their duty cards have been withdrawn permanently while they are barred from working in any airport environment in the country, for the rest of their service years
“Consequently, the officers were made to refund the exact amount collected from the passenger.
Their On Duty Cards were also withdrawn permanently, and they have been banned from working in any Nigerian airport, to serve as deterrent to others,” she added.
The new spokesperson at FAAN also thanked the mother of the 14 year old passenger for given a feedback after the indicted immigration personnel had refunded the amount extorted from her.
“We would like to commend the mother of the child, who has confirmed receipt of the money, for deeming it fit to escalate the case, and assisting us tremendously in the course of our investigation,” Hope-Ivbaze added.
It would be recalled that two personnel of NIS attached to the MMIA Lagos Command were arrested following a tweeted allegation on the February 19, 2022 by the mother of a 14year old girl travelling on Lufthansa Airline stating that the passenger was extorted the sum of eight thousand naira from her daughter.
A team of FAAN Aviation Security officers was commissioned to investigate the allegation and the result of the investigation led to the disciplinary actions meted on the erring immigration personnel.
FAAN has insisted that it will continue to identify and sanction any airport official (including FAAN officials) found of extorting passengers or perpetuating any act of illegality at its airports.
