…Rushed To Air Force Hospital
An official of the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) attached to the Murtala Muhammed Airport(MMA), Lagos, yesterday pummeled a staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) to coma at the Monument Gate of MMA), Lagos, which led to the agency staff being rushed to the Air Force(NAF) hospital.
The development is coming seven months after officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) beat up FAAN officials for preventing them from gaining access to the restricted areas of the airport without On-Duty-Cards (ODCs).
Abelnews learnt that trouble started at the Monument Gate of MMA, when a Customs official in mufti identified as H. Daboh attempted to gain access to the Monument Gate through the exit thereby leading to gridlock on the road.
It was also learnt that the FAAN staff, Mr. Taiwo Adeyanju, who was in the company of other FAAN staff was on his way out of the Monument Gate at about 9:40am,when he was attacked with teargas severally in the eyes by the Customs staff’; Daboh for daring to challenge his wrong driving.
An eyewitness, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated that it took the intervention of some workers at the complex and officers of the Nigeria Police attached to the airport to rescue Adeyanju from Daboh who was bent giving him the beating of his life.
Before he was rescued Daboh had punched the FAAN official on his face severally.
The eyewitness added that when the Custom official realised the implication of what he had done, he attempted to run away and by driving directly to the office of the Customs at the airport, but he was not so lucky, as other workers ,who witnessed what happened ran after him and arrested him.
Daboh was taken to the police station at the airport, where some senior officers intervened and bailed him.
Meanwhile, Abelnews learnt that the heavily brutalised Adeyanju was later rushed to the FAAN’s clinic at the airport, where he was referred to the Air Force Hospital for better treatment due to the high level beating he received from Daboh and teargas he inhaled while the beating lasted.
Speaking at the Air Force Hospital, a battered Adeyanju, said the intention of Daboh was to blind him totally if not for the intervention of others at scene of the incident.
Apart from beating up Adeyanju, the Customs officer also damaged a Volkswagen Gulf with the registration number EPE 136 BK belonging to the FAAN staff.
According to him, “The Customs officer was in mufti when the incident happened this morning (yesterday). I was driving out of the Hajj and Cargo Terminal through the exit point when I saw a vehicle driving in through the exit point. I actually challenged him, but I was still inside the car and all of a sudden, the man I later gathered was a Customs officer came out and rained blows on me.
He continued, “As I making attempt to come out of the car, he held me by the neck and brought out a teargas and sprayed it directly into my eyes. It took the intervention of passers-by before I could be rescued from his grip. Later, he attempted to run away, but he was chased by some of my colleagues’ right into the Customs complex”.
The Chief Cargo Officer of FAAN, Mr. Benson Oweka, who confirmed the incident at NAF hospital, explained that the department received a distress call that one of its staff was beaten by Customs at the Monument Gate, adding that before they got to the scene of the incident, Daboh had battered Adeyanju.
In his words, “When we got to the place of the incident, Daboh was in the company of his other Customs officer. He attempted to run away and drove to the Customs complex, but we caught up with him at the complex and he was later taken to the police station at the airport.”
Abelnews recalled that in September, 2015 five officials of the Aviation Security (AVSEC), were beaten mercilessly by officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for preventing them from gaining access to the restricted areas of the airport without On-Duty-Cards (ODCs).
In June of the same year five FAAN staff were also beaten by Customs officers at the international wing of the Lagos Airport.
Reacting to the incident, the then Chief Security Officer (CSO), Lagos Airport, Col. Carl Onalu, said, “The customs men were entering the restricted areas of the airport. They were in uniform, but without reflective jackets and On-Duty-Card, ODC.Our officers said they will not allow them go to the air side without the appropriate uniform, which they resisted and descended on our men. The uniform does not grant you access to restricted areas of the airport”.
