Controversy over fresh ‘burglary’ of aircraft at Lagos Airport

Controversy is raging over the alleged burglary of Air Peace aircraft at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

The airline had on Friday detailed how the cargo hold of its Flight 7138 departing to Abuja on Runway 18R (A1) of the Airport was opened at about 7:35pm on Thursday.

The Pilot-in-Command, Capt. Adesola Arasi, according to Air Peace spokesman, Mr. Chris Iwarah, had to contact control tower when he was alerted by the light that came on in the cockpit suggesting that the cargo hold was opened for about 15 seconds and immediately shut.

In line with safety procedure, the airline said it had to disembark the passengers to carry out check on the cargo hold to be sure no explosive or harmful object was dumped in the cargo hold.

But the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), which is the operator of the Airport, dismissed the alleged burglary, saying nothing of such happened.

Spokesman of FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said it was a false alarm, noting that the Captain of an Arik Aircraft that was behind that of Air Peace did not report seeing any individual opening the cargo hold.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said after reviewing all the reports from the relevant agencies concerning the incident, it concluded that the report was unsubstantiated.

NCAA said this in a statement yesterday through its spokesman Sam Adurogboye.

But Air Peace, speaking through its Corporate Communication Manager, Iwarah insisted the incident which it described as a security breach happened, saying the report by the regulatory authority that it was a false alarm was hasty and has no basis.