To combat the persistent issues of touting and illegal activities at Nigerian airports, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has introduced an armed Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the launch in a statement on X on Monday evening.

Keyamo explained that the AVSEC unit is tasked with arresting and prosecuting touts and other suspected criminals operating within the airport.

Additionally, he stated that this security initiative will be expanded to other international airports in Nigeria, aiming to provide a safer and more secure environment for all airport users.

The minister stated “As part of the steps we earlier promised Nigerians to take to curb the menace of touting and other illegal activities around our airports, earlier today the Managing Director of FAAN, on my behalf, unveiled the armed Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

“We will replicate it at other international airports. They have the mandate to arrest and prosecute touts and other suspected criminals around our airports. This is apart from the other inter-ministerial effort that is still on-going to deal specifically with the issue of agencies of government within the airports that are involved in extortion, bribery and begging.”

Recall that Festus Keyamo had in a statement, acknowledged that the issue of passenger extortion by officials at the nation’s airports is beyond the control of the aviation ministry.

However, he assured that the ministry is working with other relevant ministers to find a lasting solution.

This statement was in response to numerous complaints from travelers about alleged extortion by airport officials.

See video below:

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has responded to public outcry regarding the issue of begging and extortion at Nigeria’s international airports.

In a statement released on Monday, the Minister acknowledged the significant number of complaints received, expressing concern over the behavior of individuals that negatively impact the country’s reputation.

Keyamo clarified that his ministry has been collaborating closely with other government arms and agencies responsible for overseeing these entities.

He expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their vigilance and continuous feedback on the matter.

the statement reads “I have received several complaints about the menace of begging and extortion at our International airports by a few unscrupulous persons who give all of us a bad image. My phones are beeping every minute with messages about this from well-meaning Nigerians.

“Just to set the records straight, most of the agencies involved in this menace are not under the control of the Aviation Ministry, though they are stationed at our airports. However, I have been working closely with other Ministers, arms of government and agencies who are responsible for these agencies and a solution is in sight soon.

“We are all working under the coordination of the National Security Adviser who called a meeting a few days ago on this issue and we shall soon unveil practical steps being taken to stem this ugly tide. We thank Nigerians for their eternal vigilance on this issue.

The Minister’s statement comes amid growing concerns over the impact of such activities on Nigeria’s international reputation and the convenience of travelers passing through its airports.

When next you find yourself at the Airport or travelling by air, be ready to paddle your canoe by yourself, and never get too close to ‘spontaneous friendship offers’.

This might save you from trouble, if the account of an international air passenger, Kofi Badu, is anything to go by.

According to Badu in a video making the rounds on social media platforms, he boarded a flight to Dubai and found a matronly looking lady, seemingly descent and well educated as seatmate.

Oblivious of the lady’s evil intentions, Badu allowed himself to be engaged in chit-chat with her al through the journey, only for her to feign ill as the flight was about landing in Dubai just to draw empathy from and implicate Badu.

He was saved by an observant co-passenger who offered him tips and helped him witness to the Dubai Police that he was not the strange lady’s son.

Badu said, “There was this day, an old lady comes in and sits next to me inside the plane she asked me to help her put her bag in the overhead luggage compartment… she strikes up a conversation she was very pleasant and well-spoken so we chatted all through the flight to Dubai.”

The lady’s theatricals took a new turn, and she feigned sick, as the flight was about to land, Badu stated.

According to Badu, “Suddenly when the pilot announced that we were now proceeding to begin our descent into DXP ‘my good friend’ developed stomach pains.

“Me with my good heart I pressed the steward’s button… and this lady suddenly began to address me as ‘my son’,” Badu stated.

That was when a fellow passenger’s wise counsel came in handy. “The same gentleman who helped put up her luggage in the overhead compartment removed her luggage but as he removed the luggage, he advised me to distance myself from this lady and make it clear to the cabin crew that we were not travelling together. This man was a God-sent.”

The elderly woman’s evil intentions came to the fore when the plane landed. She made deliberate efforts to implicate Badu, by claiming to be his mother and oblivious of the contents of her luggage, which she claimed was packed by ‘her son, Badu’.

She was carrying drugs which Badu was ignorant of!

“As we waited for our luggage to come through I didn’t hear this commotion; my new friend was running, trying to escape the cabin crew, luckily the airport police were faster than her.

They got hold of her and brought her back in handcuffs and this lady starts calling out me ‘my son’ ‘my son’ ‘how could you do this to me?’ that’s when it occurred to me that she was carrying drugs and she was trying to implicate me,” Badu revealed.

His saving grace was the fellow passenger’s testimony and a lack of physical evidence linking him to the drug-carrying old lady.

He explained it thus, “Luckily for me, the gentleman who had helped her with her luggage came forward and told the airport police that me and her had just met on the plane.”

The experience has changed Badu from the chatty guy to a grim looking one, each time he found himself at the Airport. And he would advise anybody to do the same.

“I was let go with advice never ever to touch anyone’s luggage either on a flight or at the airport so from that day I don’t care how much luggage you have he will deal with it yourself, I will not even offer you a trolley to put your luggage on your luggage your problem that is my new policy and if you can’t reach the overhead compartment and I am the nearest person please call the cabin crew because all I’ll do is give you a blank stare and then look away. This is a simple advice I’m just saying it please think about it,” Badu stated.