We wish to make it clear the roles of FAAN in managing passenger and cargo terminals are clearly stated in the act establishing FAAN.
A fourteen-day ultimatum has been issued by Aviation workers to the Federal Government, demanding that the Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service be removed from his position at the Pilgrims and Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
This is in response to an assault that was committed against Igbafe Afegbai, who is the Director of Security at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
The workers also demanded that President Bola Tinubu redeploy all of the Customs officers who were involved in the assault on the FAAN director for their actions.
It was revealed in a letter that the deadline began to clock down from March 7, 2025. On the 21st of March, it will expire. There was a threat of wrath from the unions in response to what they considered to be excessive and inappropriate behaviour on the part of the personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, the National Union of Air Transport Employees, and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria are the unions. In accordance with international norms and procedures, they also urged that the number of customs officers working at the nation’s airports be reduced, particularly at the airport in Lagos.
The workers accused the customs officials of mistreating the retired Assistant Commissioner of Police in a letter that was composed of a combined letter and signed by their secretaries.
It reads, “The attention of aviation unions in FAAN has been drawn to yet another assault on the personnel of the organisation by the Nigeria Customs Services, this time a high-level officer. The Director of Aviation Security Services at the Murtala Muhammed Airport.
“We wish to make it clear the roles of FAAN in managing passenger and cargo terminals are clearly stated in the act establishing FAAN.
“The ugly incident that led to the attack on FAAN Director of Aviation Security Services is one too many among the so many assaults being carried out by customs personnel on the staff of the airport.”
Afegbai who was supposedly humiliated by customs officials corroborated the development when they were reached, and they also provided an explanation as to how the customs officers allegedly became overly enthusiastic at the airport.
Afegbai explained that that he, together with several senior staff members at FAAN, had gone to the point of the faceoff in order to repair a malfunctioning security machine that had been temporarily removed from Enugu airport when it was transferred there.
He stated that customs insisted that the machine was an unlawful machine that was intending to be exported.
The National Public Relations Officer of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, responded to the information by stating that both SAHCO and NAHCO, the locations where the event took place, are approved bonded warehouses that are owned by Customs.
However, he emphasised that the two warehouses continued to be under the authority of the Customs department. He did not comment on the allegation of assault.
Customs spokesperson stated, “In line with the World Customs Organisation’s Safe Framework of Standards, which underscores Customs-to-Customs, Customs-to-Other Government Agencies, and Customs-to-Businesses cooperation, the NCS remains unwavering in its commitment to fostering a collaborative working environment.
“This approach is essential for seamless trade facilitation, regulatory compliance, and the overall growth of the national economy.
“While the service continues to engage constructively with all relevant stakeholders to strengthen operational protocols and to uphold the collective national interest.
“It is essential to reiterate that the NAHCO and SAHCO Import & Export Warehouses are licensed Customs Bonded Warehouses operating in full compliance with Section 122 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023. As stipulated in Section 127 of the Act, these warehouses remain under the control of the NCS.
“Under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the service remains committed to fostering inter-agency cooperation and ensuring the smooth operation of Customs-controlled areas to prevent the recurrence of such incidents..”