The Nigerian Government, on Sunday began a probe into the security breach that occurred at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where scores of angry passengers of a Turkish Airlines flight invaded the NAIA’s tarmac and stopped the carrier’s aircraft from taking off.
As a result of the incident, which occurred from 11pm on December 24 till around 2am on December 25, 2015, the government stated that it had suspended the head of security, the NAIA Manager as well as the Terminal Manager pending when investigations were completed.
The Minister of State for Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, stated that the passengers breached the security apparatus at the airport, stressing that the incident was dangerous, considering the level of global terrorism.
A military official, who was on the ground on the night of the incident, stated that trouble started when all the passengers disembarked and found out that their luggage had not arrived in Abuja.
After listening to the explanations of the military personnel, the minister asked the Acting Head of Security, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Abuja, Mr. Ali Hausawa, why the passengers were allowed entry to the tarmac.
In response, Hausawa said, “It is not that we allowed them; they forced themselves to the tarmac because we had just one worker on duty at the time. We do not expect them to pass through an active luggage carrying belt, but they were agitated and angry and they passed through it and gained entry to the tarmac. (Punch)