The fracas between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and licenced customs agents and freight forwarders yesterday took another turn as Aviation Security officers (AVSEC) and the Police yesterday barred clearing agents and freight forwarders from the cargo terminal of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The situation resulted in chaos at the hajj/cargo terminal of the airport leading to heavy traffic jam.
This is coming following the relocation order to cargo operators who have been asked to relocate their operations out of the cargo terminal for security reasons. FAAN has even allotted them a new area where they feel their operations would not hamper the security of the airport or that of passengers and aircraft.
However, the freight forwarders who said they would not go to the new place allotted them said the airport authority did not carry them along before demolishing their offices at the cargo terminal which they claimed was against their terms of engagement.
However, the Head of Public Affairs, MMIA, Mr. Victor Arisa, told journalists that there was nothing unusual about the agents being denied access into the cargo terminal, as their executives had reached a deal with government on their resolve to relocate to the new place they were given.
He explained that the airport authority has since provided space near the limousine car park for the agents to carry out their legitimate business, pending the construction of the new terminal, which is being handled by a concessionaire.
He further explained that the agents had to be relocated to enable the contractor continue work on the site for the proposed terminal.
Before the latest development, there had been concern about? over-crowding at the cargo terminal which harbours both genuine and illegal freight forwarders and other miscreants posing? security threat to the airport environment and calls by many stakeholders on the need for FAAN management to sanitise the place. The executives of the freight forwarders could not be reached for comment as they were said to be in a meeting.