Operatives Arrest Ex-Convict Among Three Cable Thieves At Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos

Among the suspects is an ex-convict, who was previously jailed for 28 days for a similar offence.

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said that a combined patrol team of officers from Aviation Security’s Crime Investigation and Intelligence (CII) Unit, and the Joint Military Task Force (JMTF) have arrested three persons suspected to be cable thieves around its Training School.

Among the suspects is an ex-convict, who was previously jailed for 28 days for a similar offence.

In a statement on Friday, FAAN’s Director, of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua, said that two of the suspects were caught at about 0352hours on Friday while digging and cutting electric cables connecting the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Powerhouse (International Wing, MMA) to the Domestic Terminal (MMA).

According to the statement, the third suspect, who serves as a link between the two other suspects and buyers at Arena Market, Oshodi was apprehended at exactly 0556hours, at Hajj & Cargo Terminal following confessions made by the two other suspects.

Yakubu-Funtua, however, noted that an ongoing investigation has revealed that one of the suspects was convicted and sentenced to 28 days imprisonment for a similar offence, sometime in April 2022.

“The suspects are presently being interrogated by officials of FAAN AVSEC after which they will be handed over to the Police for prosecution.

“FAAN…Committed to her core values – Safety! Security !! Comfort!!!”

SaharaReporters reported earlier this month that thieves stole airfield lighting systems at the MMA runway.
It had been reported that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria had launched an investigation into the theft of the airfield lighting systems at the airport.

Although it is not clear exactly when the theft took place, the stolen lighting systems on the domestic runway 18 Runway/36Left of the airport, were reportedly reinstalled in November 2022, just about eight months ago.

A source had told SaharaReporters that the criminals took advantage of the fact that the runway had been closed for months for maintenance to steal the lighting system.

The source blamed a “syndicate” of workers at the airport along with “accomplices from outside” for a series of thefts.

SaharaReporters reliably gathered that the management of the MMA had in several memos made several recommendations that were ignored.

For instance, sources told SaharaReporters that the MMA had urged the FAAN to clear vegetation along the perimeter stretches from the Diplomatic Carpark to the NAHCO Complex for a clear view but they did not heed the recommendation.

It was learned that the management recommended repairing and rebuilding dilapidated and collapsed portions of the perimeter fence to the standard height with anti-climbing wire topping.

“Also, this was ignored,” one of the sources told SaharaReporters.

“FAAN was also asked to reinforce drainage canals at Cement and Orisumbare with burglar-proof materials but as usual, nothing was done,” one of the sources said.

“The recommendations include dismantling the make-shift bridge at the Ajao axis and reconstructing the drainage canal but to date, they were not attended to.”

SaharaReporters gathered that in one of the memos to the management, the authorities were advised to reinforce openings at the Apron drainage canal and airside/landside boundary at Gate 9 with burglar-proof materials.

“One of the recommendations was that adequate attention should be given to vegetation control along the perimeter road and that holes in the perimeter fence should be blocked but nothing was done. They were also advised to apprehend those responsible for creating those problems, but that was also ignored.

“It was advised that they should replace missing metal rail protectors at Ejigbo Canal to enforce watertight security at the airport but nothing was done,” one of the sources said.