The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has set up a taskforce to curb illegal activities and eliminate touting at the Hajj and Cargo Terminal area of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos. FAAN’s Manager for the Hajj and Cargo Terminal, Mr. Asizehi Musa who spoke on the development assured the taskforce was not to threaten any agency or operator, “but to ensure sanity at the terminal, reduce touts and touting activities and make the nation’s airports operate in compliant with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.”
According to him, activities at the cargo/hajj terminal would now be scaled down or restricted to 12 hours (7am-7pm) from the initial 24 hours period.
Accordingly, the exit and entrance gates at the terminal would henceforth be opened for commercial activities as from 7am while the gates are locked at 7pm.
He explained that with the new approach, no truck would henceforth be allowed to spend the night at the terminal.
To make the new initiative a success, Musa said FAAN would provide a patrol vehicle, which would monitor activities at the terminal and ensure that only those who have business to transact within the terminal are allowed in.
Musa assured that FAAN would continue to cooperate with all stakeholders especially the cargo agents, Nigeria Customs Service, ground handling companies, Nigeria Police and other stakeholders within the terminal.
Mr. Benjamin Adewunmi, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Hajj and Cargo Terminal, said that it was necessary for FAAN to take full control of the territory.
He said that if the taskforce was able to carry out its activities without difficulties, security and safety of persons, equipment and cargo would further be enhanced.
With this restriction, activities would now be shut at both the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company of Nigeria (NAHCO) Plc and the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL) warehouses at 5pm while loading of trucks for cargo would not exceed 7pm daily.
There are 17 organisations at the Hajj and Cargo terminal. Some of the organisations are NAHCO, SAHCOL, DHL, Police, Customs, Nigeria Immigration Service, Department of State Security (DSS), Aviation Security (AVSEC) and Customs agents
Others are Allied Air Cargo, Emirates, Air France/KLM, British Airways, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Port Health, Ethiopian Airlines and National Agency for Food Drug and Control (NAFDAC) among others.
Each organisation is expected to submit names of two staff as members of the taskforce committee. In all, there are 34 members in the taskforce.