FAAN arrests illegal FX dealers, others at Lagos airport

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it has arrested 21 persons including touts, illegal foreign exchange dealers, hawkers and scavengers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA).

FAAN stated that the arrest is part of its way to rid the airport environment of touts and perpetrators of illegitimate activities.

In a statement by Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua
director, public affairs & consumer protection, FAAN said that the Joint Monitoring Task Force (JMTF) and the Aviation Security Crime Investigation & Intelligence (AVSEC-CII) Unit has since the past few weeks conducted raids in this regard.

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Yakubu-Funtua said cable thieves and other miscreants have been apprehended in the course of these raids.

“On Friday the 4th of August 2023, the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) JMTF and AVSEC-CII raided the ITZ 1 & 2 landside, the carparks and the airport access roads.

“In the course of the raid, a total of 21 persons including touts, illegal foreign exchange dealers, hawkers and scavengers were arrested. The apprehended suspects have since been transferred to the Nigerian Police Force through the CII for further necessary action,” he said in the statement.

He said FAAN is warns that anyone who has no legitimate business at the airports should desist from approaching the airports.

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.