The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has dissociated itself from the initial handling of the incident involving a female passenger, Comfort Emmanson, and staff of Ibom Air at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MM2) in Lagos last Sunday.
In a statement released on Friday, FAAN explained that its staff were not part of what happened when the argument and scuffle started. According to FAAN, the issue took place inside MM2, a private terminal managed by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, and not directly by FAAN.
The problem began when Comfort Emmanson and some staff of Ibom Air got into a fight near the aircraft. Videos and reports about the incident later spread, causing outrage among Nigerians, many of whom condemned the treatment of the female passenger, describing it as dehumanising and unacceptable.
FAAN went on to clarify how security works at MM2. The agency explained that the terminal is a private area, so Ibom Air’s internal security team and Bi-Courtney’s Aviation Security Unit are the ones in charge of security inside the terminal. FAAN’s own Aviation Security (AVSEC) officers, on the other hand, are only responsible for screening passengers and baggage at specific checkpoints.
The authority added that its officers only stepped in much later, after Emmanson was moved to the Crime Investigation and Intelligence Unit, popularly called Tango City.At that point, FAAN’s AVSEC officers simply helped with documentation before Emmanson was eventually handed over to the Nigerian Police for further action.
FAAN stressed that it always tries to operate professionally. The agency said it is committed to regularly training and retraining its AVSEC officers to meet the standards set by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). It also reminded the public that only training institutions approved by the NCAA are allowed to conduct certification training for aviation workers.
Finally, FAAN assured Nigerians that it will continue to maintain high levels of safety, security, and professionalism in all airports across the country.
