The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Murtala Muhammed International Airport

  • Air Peace takes delivery of sixth Embraer 145 regional jets

    Air Peace has received the last of its six 50-seater Embraer 145 regional jets it recently acquired. The airline assured that its vision of providing seamless flight services on the domestic, regional and international routes was running according to plan.

    The aircraft marked 5N-BUW and named Virginia Omeogo Adegoke (Nee Onyema) touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 4 a.m. (LT).

    Air Peace took delivery of its 5th Embraer Rejional Jet 145 weeks ago on Sunday October 14

    A statement issued by the carrier’s Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah said the airline’s goal of guaranteeing seamless flight operations as well as connecting unserved and underserved routes was fast being fulfilled.

    “We are delighted to announce the arrival of our sixth 50-seater Embraer 145 jet at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 4 a.m. on Tuesday, November 27, 2018. The arrival of the aircraft has further strengthened our resolve to provide seamless flight services on the domestic, regional and international routes as well as extend the reach of our exceptional operations to many more unserved and undeserved destinations under our no-city-left-behind project.

    Read Also: Air Peace resumes Kaduna flights

    “Upon the arrival of our first Embraer 145 aircraft in February this year, we set another record in Nigeria’s aviation industry with the establishment of a subsidiary, Air Peace Hopper to organize our plan to democratize air transport and deliver exceptional flight services to unserved and underserved cities in Nigeria and the West Coast of Africa. Since we started this project, the pieces of feedback have been quite encouraging. Although there have been challenges, including delays mostly on account of circumstances bordering on safety and other factors beyond our control, we have kept reviewing our schedules and restrategising to ensure the best of flight services for our teeming loyal customers. This has greatly paid off and the delays reduced to the barest minimum.

    “We are in aviation to create massive job opportunities, connect people and business and leisure destinations, help in growing the economies of Nigeria and other nations we operate in and make our dear nation proud overall in the global aviation community. We are quite proud that this vision is unraveling on a great positive note, especially with the support, loyalty and patronage of our esteemed customers. With our deepened capacity, we have no doubt it is early yuletide for the flying public this year,” Air Peace said.

     

     

  • Air Peace takes delivery of 6th Embraer jet

    Nigerian carrier, Air Peace has received the last of the six 50-seater Embraer 145 jets it recently acquired to boost its vision of providing seamless flight services on the domestic, regional and international routes.

     

    The airline made the announcement in a statement issued by its Corporate Communications Manager, Mr Chris Iwarah on Wednesday, in Lagos.

    Iwarah said the aircraft marked 5N-BUW and named Virginia Omeogo Adegoke (Nee Onyema), touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 4am on Tuesday.

     

    He said the airline’s goal of guaranteeing seamless flight operations as well as connecting unserved and underserved routes was fast being fulfilled.

    “We are delighted to announce the arrival of our sixth 50-seater Embraer 145 jet at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 4am on Tuesday.

     

    “The arrival of the aircraft has further strengthened our resolve to provide seamless flight services on the domestic, regional and international routes.

    “It will as also extend the reach of our exceptional operations to many more unserved and underserved destinations under our no-city-left-behind project,” Iwarah said.

     

    Read Also: Air Peace receives fifth Embraer regional jet

     

    He said the airline had in February 2018 established a subsidiary, Air Peace Hopper, towards actualising this objective.

    Iwarah said “Since we started this project, the pieces of feedback have been quite encouraging.

     

    “There have been challenges, including delays mostly on account of circumstances bordering on safety and other factors beyond our control.

    “However, we have kept reviewing our schedules and restrategising to ensure the best of flight services for our teeming loyal customers. This has greatly paid off and the delays reduced to the barest minimum.”

     

    According to him, Air Peace was in aviation to create massive job opportunities, connect people and business and leisure destinations and help in growing the economies of Nigeria and other nations.

     

    He noted that the addition of more aircraft to the airline’s fleet would deepen its capacity for travelers during the yuletide.

     

    NAN

     

  • NEMA receives 174 Nigerians from Libya

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received another batch of 174 stranded Nigerians from Libya.

    The returnees arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 1.10a.m. on Friday.

    They were brought back in an Al Buraq Airlines Boeing 737-8000 aircraft with registration number 5A-DMG by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU) under the Assisted Voluntary Return Programme.

    The returnees were received by officials of NEMA and other government agencies including the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Force and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

    The Acting Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, South West Zonal Office, Mr Segun Afolayan, said after profiling  the returnees that they included 61 female adults, four female children and eight female infants.

    Afolayan said there were also 91 male adults, six male children and four male infants, along with an unaccompanied male child, among the returnees.

    He said the returnees included 10 families, three minor medical cases and three pregnant women.

    Afolayan advised Nigerians to be wary of traffickers who lure them into perilous journeys with false messages of getting rich quick outside the country.

    One of the returnees, 30-year-old Mr Chukwudi Onyemechie, from Anambra State, told newsmen that he was a successful auto tyres dealer at Ladipo Market, Lagos, before he was fooled by the promise of a better life in Europe.

    Onyemechie said a man convinced him to travel to France via the Libya route and he eventually sold off his wares and proceeded to Benin Republic where he began the unfortunate journey.

    He said :”I was told that the journey would be by road but I never knew that it was a deadly and dangerous route.

    “I entered Libyan town where I was taken to a camp controlled by Nigerians where I spent three months in detention.

    “My trafficker organised my detention in order that I would be forced to pay him money. He asked me to pay some amount to a connection man who denied that I didn’t pay. and my trafficker claimed he settled the man and I had to double the amount.

    Read Also: 116 Nigerians deported from Libya

    “I left Nigeria in June 2017. I experienced unstable and dangerous life over there. After struggling to cross but unsuccessful, I was helped to get to IOM office in Libya, who helped me back to Nigeria today.”

    Onyemechie advised Nigerian youths who were thinking of going to Europe through Libya to jettison such plan, stressing that it was better for them to make the journey in a regular manner and with adequate information.

    Another returnee, Mrs Kikelomo Ajasa, a mother of one from Ibadan, Oyo State, said she left Nigeria in 2016 with the hope of getting a better job abroad, with the encouragement of her husband.

    Ajasa, who holds a National Diploma in Hotel and Tourism, said she left Nigeria because of the various challenges that her family was facing.

    She said :”I got to Libya with God as my saviour but the racial discrimination by the Libyans is too bad.

    “If you’re unfortunate to enter bus and sit beside a Libyan, throughout the journey, the Libyan will not want your body to touch his own and he will cover his noise throughout.

    “Though, some of them are very nice and good, majority, especially the youths, don’t wish the blacks well.”

    Ajasa said she got a housemaid job where she was being paid 6,000 Dinars, equivalent to about N60, 000.

    “If I want to send N20,000 to Nigeria, I must part with N40,000 or N50,000 before my family will get the N20,000.There is no banking system there.

    “Nigerians who had settled down are the launderers. They have their Nigerian bank accounts.

    “Once, we pay them there in dinars, we don’t know how they transmit the money, but our families will receive what we agreed on their bank accounts here in Nigeria.

    “I am not happy for the wasted years. If I had stayed back, I could have been more settled and successful,” Ajasa lamented.

    NAN

  • 116 Nigerians deported from Libya

    One hundred and sixteen Nigerians stranded in the North Africa country – Libya were Wednesday deported .

    The deportees comprising 46 adult females;  two female children ; five female infants as well as 56 male adults; six male children and eight male infants arrived the cargo wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, about 12.40 am.

    They were flown in aboard a chartered Al Buraq aircraft marked with registration number UZ 489.

    Acting Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA) , South West , Segun Afolayan received the deportees at the airport .

    He said the deportees were stranded en route Europe and had to be brought home through the as dusted voluntary returnees programme facilitated by the International Organization for Migration ( IOM).

    While advising the Returnees to discourage irregular migration,  Afolayan stated that migration is a fundamental right of every human being but when a man embarks on irregular journey violating the laws of other nations by not following the regular means of migration, the country of destination may apply the nation’s laws to handle such.

    To end this exposure of  irregular migration, the Acting Zonal Coordinator revealed that Nigerians who wish to migrate can now visit the Migrant Resource Centre opened by IOM in conjunction with the Federal Government.

    The Centres located at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment offices at Benin, Lagos and Abuja.

    According to Afolayan “The Centres are opened to all Nigerians who wish to travel outside the country. They can access detailed information on their intended country of destination.”

    “Such information as the types of employment and educational opportunities, counseling on the right and safe routes to travel, the security level of the expected country as well as skill acquisition to whoever approach any of the centres in the country.”

    “This centres are created to stem the gaps of inadequate information that many Returnees have been complaining about”.

  • Command prosecutes 137 suspects

    ONE hundred and thirty-seven persons were arraigned for offences at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, between January and September, Lagos Airport Police Command said yesterday.

    Spokesman Joseph Alabi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that some of the suspects were charged with assault, stealing, obtaining by false pretences, unlawful entry and touting, which contravened the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) bye-laws.

    He said the command arrested 230 persons and secured 38 convictions within the period.

    The spokesman said 22 person were still under investigation, while 29 were awaiting trial.

    The command, he said, was committed to making the airport and its environs safe and secure for travellers, airline operators and other users.

    Alabi said the command had deployed officers in strategic places within the airport to tighten security, especially during the Yuletide.

    “We assure the public that the MMIA is very safe. We are working with other sister agencies to ensure that people can come around to do their legitimate business without harassment by touts.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Visa on arrival: 38,000 passenger processed at Lagos Airport

    No fewer than 38,000 passengers including potential investors have been processes at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos  under the Visa On Arrival scheme and Ease of Doing Business policy rolled out by government in the last one year sources close the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS) has revealed

    Investigations by The Nation revealed that the bulk of the passengers are investors and tourists seeking business opportunities in the country.

    An immigration source told The Nation that many investors are latching on the The immigration source  said investment is booming in the country as more and more investors are finding their way to the West African country to trade and do other forms of businesses investing both funds, technology.

    According to her,  the over 38,000 came in from all over the world but there were frequent influx from countries including  the United States, China, Britain, Canada, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and a host of others.

    She said, “The visa on arrival is seriously helping and It is a good omen for this country. The Nigeria Immigration Services has done something great and this has helped access of investment as people will make their application and come in and pay for it, instead of going to the embassy.”

    Read Also: Row over missed flight at Lagos airport

    On the duration of the Visa, she explained that the VOA, has always been a duration of one month, stating that once approval was granted by the Comptroller General, the approval has a two-week validity.

    “You only need approval from the Comptroller General to get the VOA. in fact, once the approval is given, it has a validity of two weeks, if not used within that time, you start the process of re applying for approval. However, when you have approval and everything is done the duration of the visa is one month. It is also renewable,” she told our reporter.

    She also said that enlightenment is still ongoing for those that seek greener pastures by hook or crook, stating that the trend is reducing but that the service at all borders are trying to dissuade young ones from taking that route.

    “Human trafficking has reduced, not only at the airport but at other border posts. We cannot say it is completely eradicated but we are doing all we can to make sure we reduce it.”

  • Air Peace deepens regional operations with night flights

    Air Peace at the weekend boosted its regional operations with the introduction of night flights out of Lagos, Accra, Banjul and Dakar.

    A statement signed by the carrier’s Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah quoted the Chief Operating Officer, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olajide as saying the new flights were part of the airline’s strategy to make air travel on the West Coast of Africa seamless and more beneficial.

    Olajide described the night flights, which commenced from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Sunday, as a relief for business and leisure travellers on the West Coast looking to utilize their trips to transact their business unrushed.

    “We keep reviewing our regional operations in line with our promise to provide seamless, on-time and comfortable flight services. Whatever the travel needs of our esteemed guests, we want to be able to provide a service that fits their plans.

    “We have been operating on the West Coast of Africa for more than a year and a half. One thing we have come to realize is that a lot of persons like to travel at night and get to their destinations on time to do their transactions in a calm, unhurried and fruitful manner. This is the interest we are catering to with the introduction of night flights. We want our valued guests to arrive at their destinations, go about their business as they wish and still have enough time to prepare for their return trips.

    Read Also: Air Peace takes services to Kaduna

    “This is just the beginning of the new innovations and win-win travel options we are bringing to air travel on the West Coast of Africa. We value our guests and are always ready to make our flight schedules and timings as comfortable as possible for them”, she said.

    Speaking on the development, a passenger on the night flight from Dakar to Lagos, Nchang Damarisambem said the option met her desire to arrive Lagos on time and continue her onward journey to Calabar for her transaction.

    The flight, she said, was a pleasant experience. She pleaded with Air Peace to extend its operations to Yaounde, Cameroun, her country to give the people an opportunity of experiencing its spectacular flight services.

    Another passenger on the Dakar-Lagos flight, Turay Fatmataba said she preferred the night option for long-distance travel. She said the night flight was an easier option for her to get to Freetown, her final destination.

     

  • FAAN commends Halogen officials for honest conduct

    ….. Says Security officers have written their name in gold

    Barely 48 hours President Muhammadu Buhari commended two security personnel attached to the car park of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport ( MMIA),Ikeja, Lagos for their honesty in returning a bag containing valuables  to an American returnee, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Wednesday honoured the duo for their acts of honesty and professionalism.

    The duo: Messrs Francis Emepueaku and Achi David are security officers of Halogen Security Limited attached to the multi storey car park at the international wing of the Lagos Airport.

    The officers found a forgotten bag containing valuables in the course of their duty. They retrieved, kept, contacted and returned the bag to the owner with all contents intact.

    Read Also: FAAN to acquire scanners to boost security

    At an event organized by Halogen Security Limited to celebrate the officers today in Lagos, the Managing Director of FAAN, who was represented by the Director of Engineering Services, Engr. Salisu Daura eulogized the virtues of the officers.

    In his words, “I will like to congratulate you both Messrs Daniel and Francis. Your act of honesty and truth is highly commendable and we are not taking it for granted at all. Today, you have written your names in gold”

    While advising the public to emulate the great virtues of the officers, he enjoined them to continue to render selfless service to humanity and they will surely attain greatness.

  • Medview Airlines air lifts 320 Lagos pilgrims to Mecca

    Medview Airline in the early hours of Thursday airlifted 320 Lagos State Pilgrims to Mecca from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos

    The pilgrims were ferried by the B777-200ER, recently acquired by Medview ! Which took off from the hajj/cargo terminal about 7am.

    As early as 5.30 am, the pilgrims started boarding the airline’s newly acquired Boeing 777-200 and were done with boarding formalities before 6:00am.

    The airline is scheduled to airlift no fewer than 2,001 passengers from Lagos alone and has a total of 10,000 pilgrims of the 95,0000 pilgrims nationwide to be air lifted.

    Apart from Lagos pilgrims the airline will also be airlifting pilgrims from Kaduna, Maiduguri, Ilorin as well as pilgrims from Guinea Bissau and Niger according to the airline management.

    Executive Director, Business Development, Alhaji Isiaq Na’allah who spoke to reporters just before the takeoff of the flight said that Med-view will be airlifting its pilgrims on seven trips.

    Na’allah said, “We give praise to the almighty Allah for giving us the strength to start our airlift, this is the first flight we are doing this year and we are hoping to do about 10,000 pilgrims. We are airlifting our pilgrims from Lagos, Kaduna, Maiduguri and Ilorin.”

    “Obviously, it’s challenging if you look at the number of passengers we use to carry in such a short period, it is challenging and so you need a very high capacity aircraft, this is why we have brought this aircraft, it’s a triple seven(777) it’s a modern aircraft.

    This flight carries 323 capacity right now the Lagos people that are going now we have 320 . From Lagos state we have about 2000 passengers and we are going to do about 7flights for them.”

    On consistency he added,”The major source of our consistency is our ability to provide the desired services for our passengers, we give them the comfort when they are going and when they are coming back and also when they are there as much as possible we make sure they enjoy their stay.”

  • Ambode expresses satisfaction with work on Airport – Oshodi road

    As contractor unveils new machine to facilitate work

    Promises to deliver by December 2018

     

    Lagos state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has expressed satisfaction with the progress of on-going work on the 10-lane Oshodi-Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road handled by Messrs Hi-tech Construction Company.

    The Governor who was represented by Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Adebowale Akinsanya spoke at the unveiling of a new machine by the contractor to facilitate prompt delivery of the project, during an extensive inspection tour of ongoing projects across the State by the Governor at the weekend

    Ambode said it was gratifying to note that the project was progressing well with all the components now at advanced stages, just as he expressed optimism that the new equipment would facilitate prompt delivery of the project

    The contractor, Messrs Hi-tech Construction Company acquired a new Wirtgen WR 250 Recycler machine to speed up work on the construction work, giving assurance that the project would be delivered by December 2018.

    The Lagos State Government had embarked on the reconstruction of the Airport Road to transform it from the state of decay to international standard being a major gateway to the State and Nigeria.

    The scope of the project includes two flyovers, one U-turn Bridge, five pedestrian bridges, and multiple laybys, among others.

    Speaking while unveiling the new machine Hi-tech’s Managing Director, Mr Ivan Becker said the new equipment which has the capacity to construct 400metres daily would go a long way to facilitate the delivery of the Airport Road on schedule.

    He said the Wirtgen WR 250 Recycler was capable of 12,000 square metres performance maximum daily, adding that the “machine can mix two per cent bitumen, one per cent cement, 50 per cent stone base and 50 per cent reclaimed existing asphalt with water which makes road construction with the machine faster and better with a higher quality.”

    The Governor, who also inspected the progress of work on Oshodi-Abule Egba Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor and construction of network of roads in Ojokoro, appealed to residents to bear with the State Government over inconveniences they might be experiencing as a result of the multiple infrastructural projects going on across the State, saying that all hands were on deck to deliver the projects on schedule.

    Read Also: Ambode assures investors

    He said aside the fact that various measures had been put in place to mitigate impact of the construction on residents; more impactful projects would be delivered to make life comfortable for residents and visitors.

    “One of the key things for his Excellency the Governor is Southwest integration and some of the roads we are doing right now in Ojokoro link Ogun State. The roads were specifically embarked upon to complement the network of roads and bridges that we already constructed in Alimosho.

    “As we are constructing roads in Ojokoro, we are also doing the same in other parts of the State but the key thing is that the State Government cannot do it alone; we are partners with the citizens. So, I appeal for the patience and understanding of everybody. To residents, please bear with us, work with us and things will get done quickly.

    He said the network of roads in Ojokoro were being done based on the function of the areas and not one-size fits all, saying that in some waterlogged areas, government would be using paving stones, while asphalt would be used in other areas.

    The more than 20 kilometers network of roads include Aremu Street, Alhaji Luqman, Amusa Agbaje Street, Abu Balogun Street, Philip Majekodunmi Street, Unity Road, Osho/Udeh Brown Road, Oshota/Aina Streets, Home Science Road, among others.

    While inspecting the 13.5 kilometers Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT corridor along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway designed with 14 bus stations and 14 pedestrian bridges, the Governor said though the construction was being delayed due to dense population in the axis but that the project would equally be delivered by December 2018.

    “This is a highly populated area but the contractor has been mandated with the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) to do everything possible to make life bearable and easy for all road users. The work during the day is being limited right now and a lot more would be done at night.

    “The traffic is better than before and there is a lot of rehabilitation of existing road going on and it will continue. This is an ongoing exercise but we need the cooperation and support of the people to make it workable. It is just a matter of time, this will be done and there will be a big relieve coming to this axis,” he said.

    He said as part of the phase two of the project, more pedestrian bridges would be constructed especially between Abule Egba and Sango Otta, the boundary of Lagos with Ogun State.

    “The phase one is from Oshodi to Abule Egba. Phase two from Abule Egba to Old Toll Gate in Sango Otta will follow after that and the key thing is the care of pedestrians which we are taking very seriously. So, you will see a lot of pedestrian bridges. Between Abule Egba and Otta, there will be more pedestrian bridges coming which will be part of phase two of this project,” he said.