Underground armoured cable thief caught at Lagos airport

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) have disclosed that one of the suspects sighted digging FAAN’s underground armoured cable using digger, shovel and cutlass has been caught and apprehended.

In a statement sent by Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua, director, Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, FAAN stated that at about 01:35hrs on July 21, 2023, the guards on duty at the Nigeria Airforce headquarters NADC gate halted three cable thieves along the airport road by NADC perimeter fence who were sighted digging the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) underground amoured cable using digger, shovel and cutlass.

Yakubu-Funtua stated that on sighting the guards, l they took to their heels but a guard however opened fire on them, aiming at the shoulder of Usman Musa, one of the suspects.

“Usman Musa , 28years old, a native of Adamawa State, residing at Ijora sustained gunshot wounds. He was subsequently arrested and taken to 661NAFH Ikeja.

“He is presently receiving treatment at General Hospital Oyingbo while his other two accomplices escaped.
Usman Musa will be properly interrogated after he has stabilised.

“The Authority believes that this incident could be a relevant clue to unravelling the theft of the Runway Lighting at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja,” Yakubu-Funtua stated.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.