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Tag: Murtala Muhammed International Airport

  • 1,295 Nigerians returned from Libya in November – NEMA

    1,295 Nigerians returned from Libya in November – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) says a total of 1,295 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in November after being stranded in the volatile North African country enroute Europe.

    The Nigerians returned in various batches between Nov. 6 and Nov. 30 with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration ( IOM ) and the European Union ( EU ).

    The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ), Alhaji Mustapha Maihajja, made the disclosure while receiving a fresh batch of 150 Nigerians who arrived the country on Thursday.

    The returnees were brought back aboard a Boeing 737-800 aircraft with Registration Number: 6A-DMG.

    The aircraft landed at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 9.15pm.

    The returnees comprised of 13 female adults and one teenage girl while the male were 133 adults, two teenage boys and one baby boy.

    They were received on behalf of Maihajja by the South West Zonal coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu .

    Also on ground to welcome the returnees back home were officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service ( NIS ) , the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons ( NAPTIP ), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN ) and the Police.

    NAN

    Read Also: NEMA hands over relief materials to flood victims in Enugu

  • Another 257 Nigerians return from Libya

    Another 257 Nigerians return from Libya

    The National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) on Tuesday received another 257 Nigerian voluntary returnees flown back from Libya.

    The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, in a chartered Airbus A330-200 flight with Registration number 5A- LAT at 9.15pm.

    They had been stranded in the course of their failed attempt to cross over to Europe through the volatile North African country.

    The returnees were assisted back to Nigeria by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) while the Italian Government provided the aircraft.

    They were handed over to the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA Southwest, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu, who received them on behalf of Federal Government.

    The female among the returnees comprised 241 adults, two children and five infants while the male comprised four adults, four teenage boys and one infant.

    Yakubu enjoined the returnees to embrace the change mantra of the federal government.

    He urged them to remain positive and focused on contributing their quota to national development, instead of seeking greener pastures where it doesn’t exist.

    Yakubu noted that they would not be treated as second class citizens in their own country, unlike what they face abroad after migrating illegally.

    He disclosed that the European Union was providing the reintegration assistance, urging them to make use of the initiative and better their lives.

    Other agencies present when Yakubu received the returnees were the Nigerian Immigration Service ( NIS ) , the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons ( NAPTIP ), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN ) and the Police.

    NAN

  • Lagos International Airport gets certification

    Lagos International Airport gets certification

    Nigeria’s premier gateway, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Monday became the first airport in the country to be certified by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

    The development makes the airport the first to be certified, out of the 22 airports managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    The certificate was formally presented to the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr Saleh Dunoma, by the Director- General of the NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, at a ceremony at the NCAA’s headquarters in Lagos.

    In his speech, Usman said the certificate was valid for a period of three years, noting that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the certification was sustained.

    He said the current drive toward certification of Nigerian airports was significant not only as a requirement by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Nigerian civil aviation regulations but even more importantly as one of the critical safety targets of the Federal Government.

    The director-general said that the declaration which was made in July 2012 mandated all African countries to certify their international airports.

    He described the certification as an enabler for the attainment of a regional hub, which Nigeria desired for Lagos and Abuja.

    “Aerodrome certification can be defined as a process by which a state can demonstrate that airports in its territory meet regulatory safety requirements on a continuing basis.

    “It is providing uniform conditions for safe and efficient operation of aircraft from all other states as required by Article 15 of the Chicago Convention.

    “Aerodrome certification is therefore, an ICAO strategy for the standardisation and harmonisation of airport services, facilities and procedures as well as ensuring uniformity in safety of critical aerodrome elements, irrespective of the differences in ownership and management of such aerodromes.”

    Usman said the objective of the certification was to assist states to effectively implement the critical elements of a safety oversight system in accordance with Annex 14 Vol. 1and other relevant ICAO specifications.

    The NCAA boss said it was also to signify to aircraft operators and other organisations operating at the aerodrome that at the time of certification, the aerodrome met the specifications regarding its facilities and operations.

    He stressed that the NCAA was committed to the certification of all Nigerian international airports in line with its regulations, ICAO safety and recommended practices as well as the Africa-Indian Ocean Regional Safety Targets.

    “In furtherance of the above objective, the certification of Abuja airport is in the final stage, while strategic measures have been put in place by the NCAA and FAAN to ensure the certification of Kano, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kaduna international airports by July 2018,” he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Mohammed Odonowo, Director of Aerodromes and Airspace Standards of NCAA, said the certification, which was done in five phases, was of immense benefit to aviation stakeholders and the travelling public.

    “The expected benefits of aerodrome certification include enhancement in the provision of safety critical aerodrome facilities, services, procedures and personnel.

    “It also includes enhancement in collaborative decision making amongst airport stakeholders, especially between the aerodrome operator and the NCAA.

    “It will as well foster enhancement in safety and efficiency of flight operations as a result of improved facilities and services.”

    He said further that the certification would facilitate the development of regional hubs through improved capacity, safety and efficiency and attract inflow of capital investments into airport development and management.

    Also speaking, Dunoma said he was delighted that the certification of the Lagos airport which took two and a half years had finally been achieved.

    He stressed that focus was now on getting certification for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and other airports in the country.

    “We are going to make sure that this certification is sustained. We have come up with a sustainability programme which was accepted with a few corrections.

    “I want to thank the technical personnel of FAAN and the NCAA as well as ICAO Western and Central Africa for making this certification possible.”

  • 128 Nigerian deportees arrive from Libya

    128 Nigerian deportees arrive from Libya

    A batch of 128 Nigerians deported from Libya arrived in Lagos on Thursday aboard a chartered Airbus A320 Afriqiyah aircraft with registration number 5A-ONA

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the aircraft landed at 5.35p.m at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

    The deportees, comprising 126 male, two female, were flown back into the waiting hands of officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Police.

    Also on ground were officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    The two females and four male deportees had medical cases.

    The Director General, NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja, represented by Mr Suleiman Yakubu, Zonal Coordinator, South West, NEMA, used to occasion to counsel Nigerians not to be deceived by phantom promises in their quest for pastures.

    He said that one of those who returned had sustained bullet injuries all over his body had been stretchered into a NEMA ambulance.

    Maihaja said the victim would be taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for proper medical attention.

    He advised Nigerians to stay back and contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of the country.

    “There are a lot of things you can do in Nigeria here. You don’t have to travel outside the country in search of greener pastures.

    “My advice to parents is to keep tab on their children and to ensure that they know where their children are going and not to be deceived by phantom promises,” he said.

    Maihaja said NEMA and some state governments had put various schemes in place to help rehabilitate and reintegrate returnees into the society.

    The Director-General, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Mrs. Julie Okah-Donli, had on Wednesday said that 540 Nigerians were set for deportation from Libya, beginning from Aug. 10.

    She had said that the deportees would be brought back to Nigeria in three batches.

    Thousands of Nigerians have been flown back from Libya, with some voluntarily returning with the help of the International Organisation for Migration.

  • Disruption: Medview airline apologises to passengers on Lagos-London route

    Disruption: Medview airline apologises to passengers on Lagos-London route

    Medview Airline on Sunday apologised to its passengers on the Lagos-London route following disruption of their flights due to operational reasons.

    The airline in a statement signed by its media consultant, Mr Obuke Oyibhota, assured the passengers that efforts were being intensified to airlift them to their destination.

    Oyibhota said the airline had reached out to the affected passengers, and all the issues would be resolved latest by 3pm on Monday.

    “We are deeply sorry for all the inconveniences suffered by the affected passengers and everything possible within Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) in aviation is being done to airlift them,” he said.

    Oyibhota said Medview Airline would not abandon its obligations to passengers, noting that safety comes first in all its operations.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the airlines flight from Lagos to London was disrupted on Sunday leaving its passengers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, frustrated.

  • U.S returnee dies at Lagos airport

    U.S returnee dies at Lagos airport

    A passenger identified as Dada Isaac Olusola with passport number  A04501199, died on Wednesday, at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, after arriving from the United States.

    The deceased arrived the country with his wife in an Emirates Airlines plane.

    The aircraft arrived the Lagos airport at 3:55 p.m.

    The passenger, according to a source, slumped while undergoing screening at the airport’s check point.

    He was rushed to the airport’s clinic where officials attended to him but died a few minutes later.

    Doctors at the clinic confirmed that the passenger died of cardiac arrest.

    The deceased remains had been deposited at the morgue.

    Officials of Emirates Airlines were yet to comment on the incident.

    Public relations consultants to the airline, JSP Communications, said they were yet to be briefed on the incident.

     

  • NCAA: July target for Abuja, Lagos airports certification

    NCAA: July target for Abuja, Lagos airports certification

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Thursday said it was optimistic that the certification of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, would be achieved by July.

    Mr. Sam Adurogboye, General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the certification process of both airports was going on simultaneously.

    He said the regulatory authority was working with representatives of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Western and Central Africa (WACAF), to ensure the completion of the project.

    Adurogboye explained that there were still some open items that needed to be closed before the airports could be certified.

    He said:“What happens is that the process is in phases and you move from one phase to the other and it is only when the people involved are through that you can move to the next phase.

    “We are actually in the third phase and when we are through, we will move to the fourth phase, which means we are almost getting there.

    “The certification of both airports is being done simultaneously and we are hoping to complete it by July.’’

    NAN reports that the certification of the airports is being done by the ICAO WACAF, under its implementation of the Africa-Indian Ocean (AFI) Plan Aerodrome Certification Project.

    The AFI Plan was adopted by the 36th ICAO Assembly to address the safety status of aircraft operations in the AFI Region.

    It is meant to address focal areas which are: to establish and maintain a sustainable oversight system (infrastructure/capacity building) and assist states to resolve identified deficiencies within a reasonable time.

    The plan also aims to enhance the aviation safety culture of African aviation service providers.

  • 175 Nigerians ‘voluntarily’ return from Libya

    175 Nigerians ‘voluntarily’ return from Libya

    Another batch of One Hundred and Seventy-five (175) Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya on Tuesday aboard a chartered Nouvelair aircraft with registration number TS-INA.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the aircraft landed at 7.50p.m at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    The returnees were made up of of 34 males, 122 females, 10 children and nine infants.

    They were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Nigerian Embassy in Libya.

    The returnees were received at the Hajj Camp area of the airport by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Police.

    Also on ground to receive them were officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    Addressing newsmen, Air Commodore Paul Ohemu, Director, Search and Rescue, NEMA, said the agency in collaboration with the IOM was working to stem irregular migration and return stranded Nigerians from Libya.

    Ohemu advised Nigerians to stay back and contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of the country.

    “There are a lot of things you can do in Nigeria here.

    “You don’t have to travel outside the country in search of greener pastures.

    “My advice to parents is to keep tab on their children and to ensure that they know where their children are going and not to be deceived by phantom promises,” he said.

    Ohemu said NEMA and some state governments had put various schemes in place to help rehabilitate and reintegrate the returnees into the society.

    Also speaking, Mr Joseph Famakinwa, Zonal Director, NAPTIP, Lagos Zone, said the Federal Government had intensified efforts to curb human trafficking and bring traffickers to book.

    “NAPTIP has sent 315 Nigerians to prison for human trafficking with a total conviction of 265.

    “Our advice to parents is that they should not allow their children to fall into the hands of traffickers, ” he warned.

    On her part, Ms Julia Burpee, Public Information Officer, IOM, said the organisation had facilated the return of over 1,170 Nigerians from Libya since February.

    She said the organisation would assist the returnees to get back on their feet and would provide assistance to others willing to leave the North African country.

  • FAAN test-run upgraded safety scanner at Lagos airport

    FAAN test-run upgraded safety scanner at Lagos airport

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has carried out a test-run on an upgraded baggage scanner machine that could detect explosives, narcotics and other prohibited items at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    The Managing Director of FAAN, Mr Saleh Dunoma while speaking at the event on Wednesday, said it was aimed at boosting safety and security at the airport.

    Dunoma said that the interest of FAAN was to make sure the airports are safe and secure, protect lives and provide machines of immense benefits to airlines and all stakeholders.

    “This scanner is intended to complement the Executive Order recently issued by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and also assist the operations of other agencies at the airport, making them more efficient.

    “Our intent is to deploy these scanners to our international airports but this depends on the outcome of its performance in Lagos,” he said.

    Dunoma said that FAAN was committed to putting all necessary measures in place in line with international aviation standards and recommended best practices to enhance safety and security at the airports.

    Also speaking, the supplier of the machine, Mr Akin Mustapha, said it was an Astrophysics Baggage Scanner which was manufactured in California, USA.

    According to him, it would identify hidden threats in carry-on items and checked-in baggage at airports, and has high penetration steel and could detect explosives and narcotics.

    Mustapha said:” It has six colour generations and that enables it to do a proper analysis of objects that go into it, better than others. It is highly reliable and very sensitive.

    “In other airports around the world, they are taking away other machines and replacing them with this machine (Astrophysics) for upgrade and efficiency.

    “With superior image quality and innovative features including six colour imaging for increased object, identification and screen assistance for automatic programmable detection.

    “Astrophysics provides operators with the advanced tools required for quick and reliable airport screening”, he said.

  • Ganiyu Adams off to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj

    Ganiyu Adams off to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj

    National Coordinator of Oodua People’s Congress ( OPC), Otunba Ganiyu Adams Thursday spared a thought for Nigerians who hide under religion to castigate their culture, customs and tradition.

    Adams said it amounted to being a religious fanatic to condemn the tradition and customs of the Yorubas.

    He said it is wrong for anybody irrespective of his religion to paint in bad light the tradition, customs and culture of his people.

    Adams said as a Muslim, he owes it to his belief not to pull down the values of his culture because religion should serve as a rallying point to advance the traditions of a people.

    Speaking in an interview at the Departure Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj, Adams said unknown to most people that he is a practicing Muslim.

    He said he decided to make known because a lot of people think his Muslim faith will make not respect the culture, customs and traditions of Yoruba race.

    Adams said his Muslim faith will not in any way stand as a stumbling block to his struggle for self-determination and adherence to Yoruba culture and tradition.

    He said:”I am a Muslim, I am traveling to Saudi Arabia for Lesser hajj to carry out the obligations of my faith.

    But, even as a Muslim, that does not stop me from promoting the customs and tradition of our people.

    The problem with most Nigerians is that they hide under the guise of religion to castigate their customs and tradition.

    This I think is contrary to the beliefs of self-determination struggle.”

    He said religion should play a key role in the promotion of culture affirming that the Islamic religion has helped to propagate the Arab culture, language and tradition.

    Adams said: “We must use our religion to promote our culture whether we are Muslim, Christian or traditional believers.

    Religion should not be about self-benefit, or exploitation, but must be used to promote education, cultural promotion and charity.

    Many countries in world that are not fanatical about religion have achieved advances in education, technology and social welfare.

    These some countries in Asia and Far East, Europe and other places.

    We need to use religion as a unifying and rallying point to advance socio and economic development, not to castigate our culture and tradition.

    In Nigeria, we need to take a cue from some climes to use religion as a tool to promote our tradition.”

    He said it is wrong for religious organizations to pursue self-interest but advance educational promotion and socio economic development.

    He said government needs to restructure the country such that every region could develop at their own pace.

    He said the regional structure will affirm every state the opportunity to utilize resources in their domain.

    Adams called on government to diversify the economy by expanding frontiers in solid minerals, agriculture and tourism.

    He said the poor state of electricity supply in the country is serving as a huge disincentive to investment in the critical a sectors of the economy.

    The OPC leader said it is time government embarked on serious reforms that will create business friendly policies and environment at the ports, airports and other economic sectors.

    Without such reforms, the economy he said will not be in solid footing.