In response to a widely shared video showing some of its employees getting into a furious fight with a woman at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has responded. The anonymous woman in the viral video said that airport workers had demanded N5,000 from her in order to clear her bags. The woman could be heard yelling that she was a traveler and asking why the officials wanted N5,000 in exchange for her bags being cleared.
Nigerians have responded to the footage, with many criticizing and accusing the airport employees of corruption.
Contrary to early reports, FAAN stated in a statement issued this morning, October 8, that the woman in question was a cargo agent performing unlawful operations at the airport rather than a passenger.
‘’She damaged equipment, taxed our resources, and refused to pay the agreed-upon prices for the cargo. Her behavior was unacceptable. We also want to make it clear that neither any kind of molestation nor bribery requests from our staff occurred throughout the incident. All that was going on here was blackmail. All that our personnel was doing was making sure the right levy was paid.
We implore all cargo agents and the general public to be aware that cargo operations ought to be limited to certain cargo areas, employing the appropriate staff and vehicles, and paying the applicable levies. Our cargo regulations are made to guarantee that global best practices are followed, guard against harm to airport infrastructure, and give priority to passenger comfort and security.
The organization further stated that non-compliant shipments are subject to a fine of N5,000.00 (Five Thousand Naira) for the following reasons:
Not using the approved freight terminals.
Damage from incorrect cargo handling that results in carousels.
In order to prevent future occurrences of the same kind of situations, FAAN stated that it is still dedicated to offering the public clear guidance on our policies and processes. The public is also advised to abide by the regulations governing airport operations.
WATCH VIDEO:
ALSO READ:
