Boko Haram: Security search paralyses movement at Lagos airport.
MOVEMENT and business activities were, for the greater part of Wednesday, paralysed at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, following a serious congestion brought about by searches being conducted by security operatives.
Wednesday’s traffic congestion made it one week the airport had been recording serious traffic which was attributed to the recent threat by the deadly Boko Haram sect to bomb the Lagos airport.
Following the security search carried out by a team of all security operatives at strategic parts of the airport, the traffic congestion spread to as far as Maryland, from the Ikeja axis, while the one at Oshodi spread to as far as Palmgroove end.
A trip from Ikeja to the airport, which ordinarily should take less than 20 minutes, took almost two hours while many airport users, who could not bear the heavy traffic, decided to trek to their offices.
The congestion, which started as early as 7.00 a.m. led to many passengers missing their flights, just as workers of the various aviation agencies got to their offices late.
The development was compounded by the government's directive which barred all motorcyclists from operating in the airports.
While men of the anti-bomb squad focused their search on all cars and vehicles entering the various parts of the airport, other security operatives, including the police, frisked people to ensure that those without cogent reasons for being at the airport were not allowed in.
The congestion may, however, continue for some time, following the appeal made by the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, to the travelling public on the situation at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Ikeja axis and its environs.
The traffic congestion, according to Demuren, may not be unconnected with "the prevailing preventive measures to curtail the ongoing security threat in the country, particularly as it affects the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA).
"This is part of our spirited efforts to ensure that screening of all vehicular movement in and out of the airport is conscientiously carried out. The screening is in support of the enhanced body pat down being carried out on passengers without compromise."
Wednesday’s traffic congestion made it one week the airport had been recording serious traffic which was attributed to the recent threat by the deadly Boko Haram sect to bomb the Lagos airport.
Following the security search carried out by a team of all security operatives at strategic parts of the airport, the traffic congestion spread to as far as Maryland, from the Ikeja axis, while the one at Oshodi spread to as far as Palmgroove end.
A trip from Ikeja to the airport, which ordinarily should take less than 20 minutes, took almost two hours while many airport users, who could not bear the heavy traffic, decided to trek to their offices.
The congestion, which started as early as 7.00 a.m. led to many passengers missing their flights, just as workers of the various aviation agencies got to their offices late.
The development was compounded by the government's directive which barred all motorcyclists from operating in the airports.
While men of the anti-bomb squad focused their search on all cars and vehicles entering the various parts of the airport, other security operatives, including the police, frisked people to ensure that those without cogent reasons for being at the airport were not allowed in.
The congestion may, however, continue for some time, following the appeal made by the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, to the travelling public on the situation at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Ikeja axis and its environs.
The traffic congestion, according to Demuren, may not be unconnected with "the prevailing preventive measures to curtail the ongoing security threat in the country, particularly as it affects the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA).
"This is part of our spirited efforts to ensure that screening of all vehicular movement in and out of the airport is conscientiously carried out. The screening is in support of the enhanced body pat down being carried out on passengers without compromise."
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