The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has dissociated itself from the initial handling of the incident involving a female passenger, Comfort Emmanson, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2, Lagos, last Sunday.
In a statement released on Friday, FAAN clarified that its personnel were not involved in the early stages of the incident, which occurred within the terminal operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited.
Emmanson and Ibom Air staff members engaged in a scuffle at the foot of the aircraft.
Following the development, Nigerians have condemned the dehumanisation of the female passenger by the Ibom Air staff.
FAAN explained that security operations at MM 2 are under the jurisdiction of Ibom Air’s internal security and the Bi-Courtney Aviation Security Unit, as the terminal is a privately operated facility.
The authority said, “The MM2 Terminal is classified as a Private Tenant Restricted Area. FAAN AVSEC officers are responsible solely for passenger and baggage screening at designated checkpoints, while general terminal security operations are handled by Bi-Courtney’s security team.”
The agency noted that its Aviation Security personnel only became involved after Emmanson was transferred to the Crime Investigation and Intelligence Unit also known as “Tango City” for official documentation before being handed over to the Nigeria Police for prosecution.
FAAN further emphasised its commitment to professionalism, saying it continues to prioritise the training and retraining of its AVSEC officers in line with regulations set by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
The statement added, “FAAN remains committed to the ongoing training and retraining of our AVSEC officers.
“Only institutions certified by the NCAA are authorised to conduct certification-related training for aviation personnel.”
The authority further assured the public of its dedication to maintaining the highest standards of safety, security, and professionalism across all airport facilities in the country.
