An official of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was yesterday stabbed by Nigeria AirForce (NAF) officer over attempt by the latter to force the formal to closed before the 7pm deadline agreed by stakeholders at the Hajj and Cargo Terminal international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport(MMA),Lagos.
Abelnewsng.com learnt that trouble started when the NAF officer was trying to enforce the 7pm time agreed despite the fact that it was not yet 7pm for workers, who work at the NAHCo area to close
It was further learnt that the agreed time to close the gate was at cargo area by stakeholders is 7pm but that the NAF officers did not wait for 7pm but instead decided to chase out workers, which includes agents and NDLEA officials out of the area, a situation which the NDLEA official resisted.
Abelnewsng.com learnt that the NDLEA asked the NAF officer to let it be 7pm before asking him out of the area.
It was also learnt that the narcotic officer also reminded the NAF officer that he also work for government security agency just like NAF and that he is not a clearing agent, wondering why the NAF officer was harassing him.
A source told Abelnewsng.com that the resistance, further gathered infuriated the NAF officer, who questions the audacity of the NDLEA officer to challenge him.
The source added that it was at that point, the NAF officer slapped the NDLEA officer and the NDLEA officer retaliated immediately and they started punching themselves but that the narcotic officer had the upper hand.
The source added that as these government personnel were trading punches, another NAF, who did not even bother to find out what happened or resolve the issue joined the other NAF personnel in beating the NDLEA and in the process stabbed him.
The NDLEA officer, the source said fell and was bleeding, while others engaged themselves in a free for al fight.
The source further explained that it was bystanders, who started shouting that the NDLEA officer might die if not given medical attention before he was finally taken to hospital.
Contacted, the spokesman for NDLEA, Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju confirmed the incident, but added that it was a minor disagreement.
He also added that the issue has been resolved.
The Airport Police Command spokesman , Mr Joseph Alabi could not be reach for comment on the matter
However, the online platform gathered that a meeting was immediately called to resolve the issue and as at the time of compiling this report commercial activities have picked up at the Hajj and Cargo terminal compared to yesterday when agents and other stakeholders ran for their lives.
Also, as at the time of compiling this report, the name of the NDLEA officer that was stabbed and the name of the NAF officer who stabbed him could not be ascertained.
Recalled that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in a bid to curb illegal activities and eliminate touting at the Hajj and Cargo Terminal area of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, had constituted a taskforce to screen operations within the terminal.
As a result, commercial activities at the terminal had been restricted to 12 hours (7am-7pm) from the initial 24 hours period.
The Terminal Manager, Hajj and Cargo Terminal, Mr. Asizehi Musa had stated that the essence of the taskforce was not to threaten any agency or operator, but to ensure sanity at the terminal, reduce touts and touting activities and make the nation’s airports in compliant with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.
With this restriction, activities would not be shut at both the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company of Nigeria (NAHCo) PLC and the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL) warehouses at 5pm while loading of trucks for cargo would not exceed 7pm daily.
There are 17 organisations at the Hajj and Cargo terminal.
Some of the organisations are NAHCo, SAHCOL, DHL, Police, Customs, Nigeria Immigration Service, Department of State Security (DSS), Aviation Security (AVSEC) and Customs agents.
Others are Allied Air Cargo, Emirates, Air France/KLM, British Airways, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Port Health, Ethiopian Airlines and National Agency for Food Drug and Control (NAFDAC) among others.
