Connect with us

News

How Officials Connived, Carted Away Lagos Airport Runway Light

Published

on

The airfield lighting systems at the domestic runway 18/36L of Murtala Muhammad Airport, Lagos have been stolen by some yet-to-be identified workers.

It was gathered that the workers took advantage of the closure of the runway, which have lasted for about three months.

Advertisement

The equipment, which aids aircraft to take off and land at the domestic airport at night, was installed on the 2.7 kilometres long runway in November, 2022.

Emerging reports indicate that the incident led to massive suspension of top officials at the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, following the directives of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Dr Emmanuel Meribole.

READ ALSO: Force HQ Speaks On Police Recruitment Advert Circulating On Social Media

Advertisement

A source who pleaded anonymity, alleged that some FAAN workers had connived with outsiders to steal the airport lighting equipment.

He said: “The criminal took advantage of the closure to commit the crime. I cannot give the actual worth of the theft, but almost all the lighting was removed.

“The permanent secretary came around to see for himself the huge damage done. A lot of FAAN officials have been suspended.

Advertisement

“Investigations had since commenced to unravel those responsible for the missing safety equipment.

“The regular incursion and stealing of safety components at the airports are carried out by a syndicate, consisting of some workers of the agencies, who have access to the restricted areas and accomplices from outside.”

READ ALSO: Alleged Abuse Of Office: Court Fixes Date For Case Against Malami

Advertisement

Reacting to the development, a former Military Commandant at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Group Capt. John Ojikutu, said, “This is not new at MMA. I wish the FAAN management could go back to 1990 when similar things happened in the airport.

“I was convinced that it was an ‘insiders threats’. What did I do? I positioned soldiers on the runways and ensured that no FAAN maintenance staff went near the runways for anything without my approval; otherwise, it was shoot at first sight.

“It stopped completely. Runway lightings were being stolen and my conclusion then was that runway lightings can only be useful for runways and not roads or houses.

Advertisement

“Those stolen were being sold to FAAN by the same workers. That is why I am not in support of the unions carrying the picketing of their employers to the airport’s security controlled areas.”

According to the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, Mr Yakubu Funtua, “Investigations had been launched and that the agency would do all within its powers to avoid a reoccurrence.

“FAAN is doing all it can to get to the bottom of this. You are very aware that there are many agencies within the airport, including the different ones that are supposed to be taking care of security there. So, it would be unfair to put this (the theft) on our (members of) staff and I don’t think there is any FAAN (member of) staff that wants the agency to crash.

Advertisement

“Note that most of our revenue comes from Lagos. So, what kind of staff will ‘kill the goose that lays the egg?’ However, we can’t say exactly who did it, but we are doing all that we can to recover what is lost. We are going to recover it because we are going to find out those people who did it and then block all those loopholes.”

VANGUARD

Advertisement
Advertisement
Comments

News

Shock As Adeleke Employs Roadside puff-puff Hawker As Govt House Chef

Published

on

By

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday shocked a female puff-puff seller during a rally in Osogbo by buying all her snacks with ₦50,000 and offering her employment as a chef at the Government House.

This happened when Osun public servants trooped out in their thousands in what they called an appreciation solidarity rally in support of the governor for his support and care since he took over state governance.

Advertisement

It was observed that the governor, who sat in the bus, had sighted the woman who was among the crowd cheering him.

He immediately beckoned to the woman carrying a plastic container filled with puff-puff on her head and asked how much it would cost to buy all the snacks.

READ ALSO:Adeleke Flies To US For Davido’s Wedding

Advertisement

The female hawker, who was visibly surprised and star-struck at the level of her proximity to the governor, found it difficult to even tell the governor how much she sold the snacks.

Surprisingly, Adeleke handed her a bundle of ₦50,000 to the cheers of the crowd.

The lucky woman knelt down in appreciation of the governor’s generosity.

Advertisement

Excited onlookers quickly rushed to share the snacks in the plastic already purchased by the governor.

READ ALSO:Tinubu Hosts Gov Adeleke, Deji Adeleke, Davido In Lagos

The governor invited the vendor inside the vehicle where one of his officials questioned her academic background, and she revealed that she holds a Nigerian Certificate in Education.

Advertisement

Adeleke further asked about the dishes she could prepare and instructed his aides to take her contact details for employment as a chef in the Government House.

Confirming the development, the Commissioner II at the Osun State Civil Service Commission, Olaniyan Taofeek, shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “The moment Gov. Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller into a Government House chef.”

READ ALSO:It’s Like He Came Back – Davido Discloses Son’s Resemblance To Late Ifeanyi Adeleke

Advertisement

A Special Assistant to the Governor on Digital Media, Oni Gbenga Lawrence, also corroborated the incident in a post on X, stating: “Moment Governor Ademola Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller to Government Chef… not only ₦50k but he invited her into his car and employed her as chef in the Government House.”

The Guardian correspondent, who was at the scene of the welcome rally, made efforts to interview the lucky vendor, but they did not yield as she was not allowed to alight from the bus throughout the event.
(The Guardian)

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

Katsina Govt Revokes Licenses Of All Private, Community Schools

Published

on

By

The Katsina State Government has withdrawn the operating licenses of all private and community schools in the state, with effect from August 13, 2025.

The announcement came through a circular issued by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and signed by Commissioner Hajiya Zainab Musa-Musawa.

Advertisement

The ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Malam Sani Danjuma, released the document in Katsina on Saturday.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Kastina Commissioner Assassinated

According to the circular, the move is part of the government’s effort to strengthen quality assurance and standardization within the education sector.

Advertisement

The withdrawal of licenses is aimed at ensuring that schools operate in line with approved standards and provide quality education to students,” Danjuma said.

The circular also outlined a review of fees for license application, registration, and annual renewal.

READ ALSO:Katsina, UNDP To Return 270,000 IDPs To Ancestral Homes

Advertisement

“Owners of affected schools are required to obtain fresh licenses by submitting proof of payment to the ministry on or before September 30, 2025.”

The statement also added that school operators have been warned not to increase tuition or other charges without government approval.

The ministry further promised to issue additional guidelines soon, including categorization of schools and the revised fee structure.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

News

JUST IN: Oldest Missionary To Nigeria, Ruth Elton, Is Dead

Published

on

By

British-born Nigerian missionary, Ruth Elton, reputed to be the oldest missionary has passed on at the age of 91.

Ruth Elton, born 7 September 1933, was a British-born Nigerian missionary whose lifelong dedication to faith, healing, and revival left an indelible mark on communities across western and central Nigeria.

Advertisement

It was learnt that Elton died on Saturday at Sharon compound, Alafia Bamin Quarters in Ilesa, Osun State.

She was the only daughter of Pa Elton and her remains have been deposited at the mortuary.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Former Customs Comptroller-General, Ahmed Aliyu Mustapha, Is Dead

Advertisement

Ruth Elton, daughter of Sydney Granville Elton (Pa Elton), who is referred to as one of the founding fathers of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, had approached a Kaduna court and nationalised as a Nigerian.

At old age and despite the happenings in Nigeria, she still held in high esteem her father’s prophecies that although Nigeria could be known globally for corruption, it would only for a while as new dawn would beckon when the country would be known worldwide for righteousness and prosperity.

Elton moved to Nigeria in 1937 with her parents and served as a Christian missionary across Egbe, Okene, Koton Karfe, and other parts of Kogi, Ondo, Oyo, and Osun States.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Viral TV Judge Frank Caprio Is Dead

A naturalised Nigerian, having renounced her British citizenship in the 1970s, she embraced the country completely and became fluent in Ebira and Yoruba.

Elton, who remained single, believed that she had made a true mark in the country and apart from her missionary work, she saw her efforts in taming infant mortality, especially in Okene, Kogi State as a generational impact.

Advertisement

Relating her experience on infant mortality in the country, Elton recently noted that many newborn babies had passed on due to lack of proper care and hygiene, adding that the practice of force-feeding babies contributed to the challenges, especially in the face of poor awareness.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version