The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has raided the Hajj Camp terminal at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, confiscating and and destroying goods worth several thousands of Naira.
Chief Security Officer of the terminal, Uche Ukeni, disclosed after the raid that the operation led to the arrest of a female suspect.
The suspect would be taken to the Tango City Police Post, inside the MMIA, for prosecution, Ukeni explained.
Some of the things found out as a result of the raid were two canopies illegally set up at the terminal. One of the structures serves as a church while the other served as a booth for the sales of drinks, men of FAAN security unit revealed.
The agency further explained that the raid was carried out in order to sanitise the cargo terminal and expel thugs and illegal traders from the vicinity.
He noted that the illegal activities often allowed people, who have no business at the airport, to loiter around as thugs, causing all sorts of avoidable troubles.
“We seized over 20 cartons of assorted beer, 15 cartons of assorted soft drinks, more than 15 pieces of watermelon, one bunch of unripe plantain and five tubers of yam,” Ukeni said.
“We took away more than five coolers of cooked rice and stew, 50 cartons of bottle water, 30 packets of sachet water and 10 suckers of pineapple.
“These seized items would be taken to the graveyard along the airside at the MMIA for destruction.”
Ukeni said FAAN expects anyone who is interested in carrying on business at the airport to obtain due authorisation.
He added that the Sunday raid would not be the last, warning all affected people to heed the warning and make their businesses legal with the commercial department of FAAN.
He pointed to some unkempt area of the premises and directed that the overgrown grasses should be cleared.
He noted that illegal activities were being carried out around the area covered by the overgrown grasses while people also defecate in the area.
The canopies and shacks around the terminal serve as relaxation spots to workers in the cargo handling area, a cargo operator said.
He expressed unhappiness at the raid pointing out that things are very expensive in the shops with due authorisation, meanwhile the workers patronise the canopies because their items are cheap
The operator wondered what would eventually become of the trders evicted from the terminal, saying that is the only source of livelihood for many of them.
