FAAN Clears Lagos Airport of ‘Dead’ Aircraft

Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has cleared 13 abandoned aircraft at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, in line with the aviation transformation agenda.

The aircraft belonging to different airlines were lying dormant at the local wing of MMA, with some having been abandoned for over 10 years.

The aircraft model ranges from: Fokker 28, Embraer 100 to Boeing 727 and 737 and were occupying over two acres of land.

Mr. Yakubu Dati, general manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, said that the task force on the disposal of abandoned aircraft in all airports commenced work earlier in the year.

The Authority began the exercise to ensure greater safety at all the country's airports.

Captain Henry Omeogu, chairman of the task force, who is also the director of Airport Operations had said, “For a long time, we asked owners of abandoned aircraft to take them away, but the people have refused to do the right thing.”

The task force was put in place by government when several appeals to the owners to remove the 65 aircrafts littering airports across the country, failed.

Omeogu said that the abandoned aircraft constituted serious security risk by virtue of their location within the airport premises.

According to Omeogu, “the transformation agenda as set out by President Goodluck Jonathan and being championed by the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah is set out to make a mark”.