FAAN sacks officials for extorting 14 year old girl at Lagos airport

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has sacked officials involved in extorting a sum of N8,000 from a 14-year-old girl at the Lagos airport, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).

The officials have also been banned from working in any Nigerian airport, to serve as a deterrent to others.

In a statement signed by Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, acting general manager, corporate affairs, FAAN, she said that following a tweeted allegation on the 19th of February 2022 by the mother of a 14year old girl travelling on Lufthansa Airline that two officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service extorted the sum of eight thousand naira from her daughter, a team of FAAN Aviation Security officers were commissioned to investigate the allegation.

She disclosed that on investigation, they found the allegation to be true, as the officers involved were identified with the help of footage on FAAN’s CCTV facility, and the cooperation from the Nigerian Immigration Service.

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Hope-Ivbaze said consequently, the officers were made to refund the exact amount collected from the passenger.

“Their On Duty Cards were also withdrawn permanently, and they have been banned from working in any Nigerian airport, to serve as a deterrent to others.

“We would like to commend the mother of the child, who has confirmed receipt of the money, for deeming it fit to escalate the case, and assisting us tremendously in the course of our investigation.

“Also, we would like to express our appreciation to the Comptroller of Immigration, MMA and her team for her cooperation and support in addressing this issue,” she stated.

She assured that the Authority will continue to identify and sanction any airport official (including FAAN officials) found to be extorting passengers or perpetuating any act of illegality at our 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.