Passengers raise alarm over staircase safety at Abuja airport

Passengers who have passed through the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport (Domestic Terminal), Abuja, in recent times have raised alarm over the dangers posed by the iron staircase at the airport.

Passengers say that within the terminal, the iron staircase used by arriving passengers is becoming a looming danger and not good for modern airports.

“There was no consideration for elderly travellers, physically challenged persons, or other health-challenged persons who may not have the heart to climb and descend such stairs.

“May we please design alternatives such as escalators and lifts?” a passenger who would not want his name mentioned said.

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A recent visit by BusinessDay to the terminal showed the unsafe state of the staircase.

There are installed escalators and lifts commissioned by Hadi Sirika, former minister of aviation.

Stakeholders say the sudden breakdown of the escalators and lifts is a major setback to the free movement of air travellers. They also describe it as a cause of serious inconvenience to the elderly and air travellers with disabilities.

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.