Worry over encroachment at Lagos airport

In January this year, a fire incident was reported close to the runway of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) causing panic among airliners.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) swiftly calmed the sprayed nerves, explaining the incident was a bush fire at the Runway End Safety Area (RESA) of 36L of the MMIA.

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However, what many people did not know was that the incident was triggered by some locals who gained access to the runway area and set the bush on fire in an attempt to kill some bush meat: grass cutters, rabbits, rats, among others.

This was described as a major security threat at the airport. Similarly, in July 2019, there was a security breach when an Azman flight taking off to Port Harcourt from the domestic wing of the airport aborted takeoff when an unidentified man described as “an intruder” carrying bag ran towards the aircraft awaiting final clearing from the control towers to take off.

The said intruder was seen attempting to climb the engine and flaps of the aircraft to access the cabin. The Pilot-in-Command who alerted the security officials had to turn off the engines as a proactive measure.

Following the incident, FAAN suspended senior security officials at the airport in addition to reviewing the security architecture encompassing regular patrol of the area of perimeter fencing of the airport. This, according to stakeholders, has instilled confidence in the airliners and airport users.

But beyond the security measures put in place by the authority, FAAN has had a running battle over the encroachment on the Lagos airport land. Though some of the cases are subjects of litigation, experts have expressed concern over the development where residential buildings were erected close to the airport.

Daily Trust on Sunday reports that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in documents 8973 on Aviation Security, states that private and public structures including roads should have a space of at least six meters from the airport perimeter fences.

Another document as provided by ICAO 11.2.2.9 states, “Whenever possible, the ground on both sides of a perimeter fence should be cleared to establish an exclusion zone, a distance of about three meters from the fence is recommended that would remove cover for any intruder and should be kept clear of obstructions such as lamp posts, signposts, equipment, vehicles and trees that may assist intruders to climb the fence.

According to stakeholders and aviation analysts, the current situation where structures were erected along the RESA area of the airport is a gross violation of the ICAO regulation. This, according to them, explains why intruders could easily jump the fence to the restricted area of the airport.

“Yes, ICAO recommends six metres away from the fence for any structure including roads and the fence must have anti-climb. Unfortunately, most of the houses and structures behind the perimeter fence have exceeded the minimum; some houses are on the airport land while most are using the fence as part of their buildings,” said a former Commandant of the MMIA, Group Capt. John Ojikutu, rtd.

Our correspondent visited parts of Shasha area of the airport in particular where parts of the airport lands have been encroached with many buildings and shops erected. Many residents have also built houses on airport land in Akowonjo, Orisunmibare part of Ejigbo, Ile Zik, Ajao Estate, part of Isolo, among others.

It was learnt that FAAN’s encroached land at Shasha is estimated to about 56.918 hectares while another 21.44 hectares of land was encroached upon at Ajao. Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that due to rigorous legal battle, some of the encroached land have been recovered by FAAN.

On the Shasha end, our correspondent observed a caveat emptor notice boldly inscribed one a part of the land warning members of the public to desist from transacting any business in respect of the said portions of land.

An airport official who spoke with our correspondent in confidence said, “Over the years, encroachment on the MMIA land has been a major headache for FAAN. We would send the trespassers away yet they continue to return. Even people have gone to the extent of building estate on the land. But we have always told them they are doing this at their own risk. Whether they like it or not, one day we would take back this land.”

It was learnt that one of the measures adopted by the authority was to employ night guards apart from the regular airside patrol by the aviation security (AVSEC) officers.

“We are battling with the communities around but then we try to make sure that we do it right, we have the military men on the airside that helps us, aside that we have night guards, apart from this escort we have guards that hide in the bushes, it is a layer of security we have adopted to make sure we prevent incursion.”

Apart from Lagos airport, the authority has had to contend with suspected land grabbers across the country. A case in point was the Akanu Ibiam International Airport where a part of the fence was pulled down by one Arch. J.J Emejulu drawing the ire of the Federal and state governments. Also in Ilorin, Kwara State, some portions of FAAN’s 2,248 hectares of land are allegedly being encroached upon by the communities.

Stakeholders say there is the need to put perimeter fence around the airport land nationwide to prevent incursion. The immediate past Managing Director of FAAN, Engr. Saleh Dunoma once disclosed that the authority would require N25bn to erect perimeter fencing at all its 22 airports with the fence area estimated to be about 500km.

Speaking with our correspondent, Ojikutu reiterated that there was the need to remove structures standing on airport land in line with the standard and recommended global practices.

He said, “To comply with the global standards on safety and security, remove all the structures within the safety and security margin especially those that have encroached on the land areas and flight approach and departure funnels.

“I witnessed the removal of such private and public obstructions around Kigali airport in Rwanda in 2013 when I was in the IATA technical assistance on AVSEC to that country. Was there when we heard of the case of the Benin airport stowaway which was a focus in one the training sessions there. What happened in Enugu airport is same at most of our airports and deliberately more in Lagos airport.” Ojikutu argued that most of the buildings standing on FAAN’s land were erected in connivance with some insides.

“Most houses on FAAN lands around the airport are owned by airport staff through FAAN staff and their friends,” he said.

A former Secretary General of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Olayinka Abioye noted while a great portion of the FAAN’s land was not fence, there are some portions which were fenced but demolished by the people living nearby.

Abioye stated that given the siting of airports in areas where residences have now become neighbours to airport facilities, FAAN should seek the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Aviation to prevail on both the State and Local Governments for necessary education, enlightenment and appropriate action against defaulters.

He said, “The rules provide that FAAN must ensure that all her airports are perimeter fenced. If and where this is not done, FAAN is liable and it is the NCAA who should sanction FAAN. Secondly, there are areas that have been fenced but broken into by our people which require urgent action otherwise such may become an invitation to trespass, intrusions and ready made get away routes for bad elements.

“FAAN also needs to engage more in its surveillance/monitoring of such perimeters. I am aware that in some other places, such perimeters are linked with electronic surveillance system so that whenever any intruder gets close, the AVSEC gets alerted and they quickly swoop on such intruders.”

He said there must be consequences for those who built on FAAN’s land to serve as deterrent to others and also protect the integrity of airport security.

“We have a long way to go in Nigeria because poverty is also part of our challenge in this area. A staff who doesn’t have enough money for transport will always devise shortcuts to his home or seek for ways to get his house built near the airports. I am aware that some staff encroached on airport lands to build houses and nothing was done to them. Some sold airport lands to outsiders and nobody gets punished. Until there are serious sanctions against offenders, we shall remain where we are,” he added.

General Manager, Public Affairs of FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, told our correspondent that encroachment remains a challenge to the authority but said the management has put in place security measures to keep members of the public at bay.

She said, “We are mounting CCTV cameras at all our perimeter fencing. Again, we have a joint patrol of our officers we the military men. We have sustained the joint patrol since the last incident of incursion and that is why we have not recorded any incident.

“The Police Airport command also supports FAAN with sniffer dogs which also form part of the patrol of the perimeter fence. In addition, we have signages at all our perimeter fencing areas warning people to stay off. So these measures are being sustained to protect the airport environment and the airside from any incursion.”