Eight security officers with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were on Wednesday allegedly beaten-up by some men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The security personnel under the Aviation Security (AVSEC), the security arm of FAAN, were carrying out their statutory duties when the incident happened.
They were rushed to the FAAN clinic for treatment after the incident.
A FAAN official was on May 18 allegedly beaten-up by two Air Force personnel at the MMIA.
Eight security officers with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were on Wednesday allegedly beaten-up by some men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The security personnel under the Aviation Security (AVSEC), the security arm of FAAN, were carrying out their statutory duties when the incident happened.
They were rushed to the FAAN clinic for treatment after the incident.
A FAAN official was on May 18 allegedly beaten-up by two Air Force personnel at the MMIA.
The incident occurred while the airmen were carrying out routine air traffic duties at the airport’s departure hall.
Unzbos Jude, one of the assaulted security personnel, told NAN that they were at their duty post in the morning when the incident happened.
As the standard operational procedure in the airports, nobody could gain access to the restricted area without wearing the reflective jacket, Jude said.
"These customs' officers came in without their reflective jackets on. They did not even have their identification cards (ID) displayed, but forcefully, they entered the tarmac. And on their return from the tarmac, I stopped them.
"The customs men, however, assaulted us for stopping them, whereas, we were performing our legitimate duty," he said.
Another victim told NAN that the officers tore their uniforms from daring to capture the incident with their cell phones.
The victim said that the Customs officials initially seized the cell phones but were later released to them.
Also , the Airport Chief Security Officer (CSO), Col. Carl Onalu, confirmed the assault of the FAAN staff.
Onalu, who was at the clinic, said that the incident occurred when the Customs officers wanted to gain entrance to the airside and the Aviation Security personnel denied them access because they were not wearing their reflective jackets.
"There was a level of disconnect between the Security department and the other security agencies working at the airport.
“We will make it known to their management during the airport security committee meeting that when you are wearing a uniform, it doesn't guarantee you access to the air side.
"We will ensure that everybody must be aware that when you are wearing a uniform, it doesn't give you access to the airside.
"The airport security department will ensure that everyone is aware that nobody will gain entrance to the airside without fulfilling all the requirements," he said.
Onalo said that an official report had been made to the FAAN's Managing Director, Mr Dunoma Saleh.
He said that the MMIA security department would take appropriate action against the officers.
"When the incident happened, I called the Assistant Commissioner of Police for Operations and ASP for Investigations. We went to see the MMIA Customs Command and its management expressed its displeasure over the incidence.
"Seriously speaking, the management had already blamed the officers concern, queried them and if they are not careful, they may be dismissed.
"We have also asked the Customs for a copy of the disciplinary action taken against the officers so that we will have it in our record.
"And as I speak with you, even the headquarters had already called and I told them that they must come here and apologise and that is why they are here," he said.
The CSO said that the Comptroller-General of the NCS had already apologised for the ugly incident that happened again between its officers and FAAN officials.
Onalo said that an emergency security committee meeting would be called to avert the recurrence of the incident.
"From here, we are going to call for an emergency meeting of the airport security to avert the recurrence of such incident.
"This ugly situation is a disconnect among the officers at the lower level. But at the higher level, we are okay," he said.
According to him, we need to talk to them that everybody has a role to play at the airports, there are rules guiding everybody at the airport which must be obeyed at all times.
Also, the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Administration at the MMIA Customs Command, Mr Muhammed Musa, was at the clinic to see the victims.
Musa told journalists that investigations would commence to determine what steps to take on the incident.
He said that presently, appropriate actions had been taken against the officers but tougher action would be taking against them after due investigations.
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