Aviation

Demolition at Lagos airport: Senate resolution mere advisory, says minister

Published

3 years ago

May 4, 2023

Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation

Demolition at Lagos airport: Senate resolution mere advisory, says minister

Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has said the Senate cannot stop the ongoing demolition of offices belonging to agencies doing aviation activities at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

He stated this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The minister’s remark followed a motion by the Senate directing the government to halt the demolition to allow the Senate Committee on Aviation, chaired by Senator Biodun Olujimi, to intervene.

Olujimi had drawn the attention of the upper legislative chamber to the warning strike threatened by the Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, and National Association of Aircrafts Pilots and Engineers.

But responding to a question on the matter, Sirika maintained that the Senate resolution was merely advisory and could not stop the government from doing its work.

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The Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, and National Association of Aircrafts Pilots and Engineers, had threatened strike over the demolition.

Fielding questions on the Senate stoppage of the demolition of FAAN buildings, Sirika, “First of all, let’s put it in perspective. The intent of government is to remove the structure housing the office of the managing director of FAAN and those commercial buildings.

“It’s a structure that is made of wood; it has been there for 40 years. It has caught fire twice even during our administration. To give way for better development for what Lagos has become, it is the gateway. We want to put hotels there, shopping malls, offices, cinemas and the rest of it so FAAN can make more money and the rest of it.

“And the entire people in that entire building they are like 150 or 200. Government is going to continue of course, Senate is advisory, it’s an executive function, we are not bind by any court of law and government cannot be stopped from giving development to its people.

“Just the other day, some houses were demolished by the Lagos government on our camp. We have been on that issue for sometime, we went up to Supreme Court and won and they had to give way for development. This is in national interest.

“There’s no individual that can drag it out with government. If I want to pull down this hall and build a better one, who is going to stop me as a government?

“So I think it is not an issue. They are just overheating it and you know why. But we have a responsibility and mandate and we are not shy; we are very bold to do all those things that are good for our people. We are also very responsive and responsible government, where it will affect the lives of the people, of course we are going to do it.

“We have been known to do things that better civilization everywhere we go. So, this one also is going to make life very good.

I’m sure those people that are saying no to it, I’m sure they don’t want to continue to see Lagos airport the way it is.

“So, few individuals will not deny 250 million Nigerians from the joy of having something that they will go outside Nigeria to see. Common people will go outside and say “these leaders don’t they travel? See Dubai Big deal and now you want to give something like Dubai and somebody is saying no. Common!!.”

Demolition at Lagos airport: Senate resolution mere advisory, says minister

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Aviation

248 Passengers Safe as Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing in Lagos

Published

1 month ago

January 17, 2026

Trends Admin

Murtala Muhammed International Airport

248 Passengers Safe as Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing in Lagos

An aircraft carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members made a successful emergency landing in Lagos after developing a mid-air technical fault, aviation and emergency authorities have confirmed.

The aircraft, operated by Qatar Airways, landed safely at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after the flight crew alerted air traffic control to the fault while en route. Emergency response teams were immediately placed on standby as the plane approached the runway.

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Officials said the aircraft executed a controlled landing, with all passengers and crew evacuated safely and no injuries or fatalities recorded. Emergency agencies, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), FAAN, fire services and medical responders, coordinated the operation.

Eyewitnesses at the airport described tense moments as rescue teams lined the runway, but calm was restored shortly after landing when passengers disembarked without incident.

The incident has again drawn attention to aviation safety in Nigeria, though authorities praised the swift response and professionalism of the flight crew and emergency agencies, noting that early alerts and coordination helped avert a major disaster.

248 Passengers Safe as Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing in Lagos

Aviation

VAT on Aircraft, Spare Parts Threatens Survival of Nigerian Airlines, says Allen Onyema

Published

2 months ago

December 29, 2025

Trends Admin

Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema

VAT on Aircraft, Spare Parts Threatens Survival of Nigerian Airlines, says Allen Onyema

The Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema, has warned that Nigeria’s new tax laws threaten the survival of local airlines, arguing that the legislation reinstates taxes removed under the 2020 reforms. The taxes include customs duties on imported aircraft, aircraft parts, engines, and Value Added Tax (VAT) on tickets, which Onyema says will impose unsustainable financial burdens on airlines.

Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Sunday, Onyema stressed the high cost implications for airline operators.

“There is VAT on the importation of aircraft. For an aircraft worth $80 million, you are supposed to pay 7.5 percent. With bank loan interest rates at 30–35 percent, plus VAT on spare parts, it is unsustainable,” Onyema said. “If we implement that tax reform, Nigerian airlines will go down in three months.”

The Air Peace CEO also announced that the airline industry will no longer tolerate unruly passengers starting January 1, 2026. Onyema cited instances of disruptive behaviour by passengers on flights, including smuggling alcohol into the cabin, forcing upgrades to business class without payment, and threatening fellow travellers.

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He referenced a recent incident on a flight diverted to Manchester, UK, due to bad weather, where passengers staged a viral video accusing Air Peace of misconduct, despite British authorities confirming that over 200 flights were diverted that day.

Onyema emphasised that airlines will now enforce stricter measures, including blacklisting unruly passengers, asserting that the behaviour is currently being “supported by the system unnecessarily.”

The statement comes amid growing concerns over rising domestic airfares. On December 10, the Senate summoned the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, and industry stakeholders over soaring ticket prices. Subsequently, on December 11, the House of Representatives called on the federal government to reduce aviation taxes by 50 percent to ease costs for travellers.

Onyema’s comments highlight both the financial pressures on Nigerian airlines due to aviation taxes and the sector’s new stance on passenger discipline to safeguard safety and service standards.

VAT on Aircraft, Spare Parts Threatens Survival of Nigerian Airlines, says Allen Onyema

Aviation

NCAA arrests man who attempted to stow away on Overland Airways flight in Ilorin (Video)

Published

2 months ago

December 11, 2025

Trends Admin

NCAA arrests man who attempted to stow away on Overland Airways flight in Ilorin (Video)

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has confirmed the arrest of a man identified as Segun Martins, who attempted to stow away on an Overland Airways flight at the Gen. Tunde Idiagbon International Airport, Ilorin, in Kwara State.

Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, said in a statement on Wednesday that the incident occurred around 3:02 pm, when Martins allegedly breached airside security and approached an aircraft preparing for take-off.

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According to the NCAA, the suspect attempted to hide between the aircraft tyres before he was spotted and apprehended by airport ground security personnel. He was subsequently handed over to the airport police division for further investigation.

During preliminary interrogation, Martins reportedly said he believed the aircraft was headed for the United States and attempted to escape Nigeria by concealing himself in the aircraft’s undercarriage.

The NCAA reiterated its commitment to ensuring strict security protocols across all airports in the country.

NCAA arrests man who attempted to stow away on Overland Airways flight in Ilorin

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