Security breach at MMIA: FAAN suspends AVSEC personnel

Following the unfortunate airside incursion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos today, July 19, 2019, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has suspended indefinitely the Aviation Security unit heads who were on duty when the incident occurred, pending completion of on-going investigation into the regrettable security infringement.

Henrietta Yakubu, general manager, Corporate Affairs disclosed that the affected officers are Mamman Mohammed Sadiku, the Airport Chief of Security, Oni Adedamola Abiodun, International Terminal Security Officer, Owotor Kenneth Okezie, Head of Department Domestic Terminal 2, and Badejo Adebowale Ayodele, Head of Department Domestic Terminal 1.

In the interim, Anne Enyinnaya-Egbadon, General Manager of the Authority, has been detailed to take charge of security at the airport. Other affected officers have also been replaced.

The current arrangement is aimed at ensuring an efficient and thorough investigation towards the recovery and sustenance of the airport’s proactive security integrity.

An unidentified man, carrying a bag disrupted flight operations at Murtala Muhammed Airport II, after climbing on wings of the aircraft few minutes to take-off.

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A viral video showed a man who looked ‘insane’ climbing the wing of the aircraft with a bag and tried to access the aircraft.

FAAN views this breach as a serious security concern and has commenced investigation to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of this incident to forestall future occurrence.

Ifeoma Okeke

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.