Officers of the Nigerian Air Force caught a thief in the act of vandalizing armoured cables belonging to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
In a press statement by Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, it was revealed that one of the three vandals was arrested, while the other two escaped. The authorities suspect that these vandals may be linked to the recent theft of Lagos Airport Runway lighting cables.
The incident occurred at approximately 01:35 hrs on July 21, 2023, when the guards on duty at the Nigeria Air Force HQ NADC gate halted the three cable thieves along the airport road by NADC perimeter fence. The vandals were caught red-handed, attempting to dig up FAAN’s underground armoured cable using a digger, shovel, and cutlass. Upon being spotted, they fled, but a guard managed to apprehend 28-year-old Usman Musa, a native of Adamawa State residing at Ijora, by shooting him in the shoulder.
Usman Musa, who sustained gunshot wounds, was taken into custody and is currently receiving treatment at General Hospital, Oyingbo. The authorities plan to conduct a thorough interrogation once he has stabilized.
FAAN believes that this incident could provide crucial leads in unraveling the mystery behind the theft of Runway Lighting at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja. The Nigerian Air Force’s timely intervention prevented further damage to the airport’s infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of airport security measures.
