Lagos airport shuttle operators protest harassments

The Airport Limousine Shuttle Services Association of Nigeria (ALSSAN) on Monday protested alleged maltreatment and harassment of their members at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) car park.

A former President of the association, Mr Dauda Adamu, spoke with our reporter in Lagos.

Adamu said that the sad event occured in the early hours of Saturday, allegedly involving men of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other security agencies at the airport.

According to him, some operators including himself, were arrest at about 1.00 a.m. on Saturday morning and were taken to the Beesam and Local Airport Police stations.

When asked if any reasons were given for the arrest, Adamu replied: “Up until this morning, not the police or the FAAN authorities have been able to give us any reason for the harassment.

“This car park operates a 24-hour service because passengers arrive or depart from the airport late in the night or early in the morning.

“We pay our dues under the commercial department of FAAN, that is why we are surprised. The officers that came here that night brought trucks and other vehicles to pick us up.

“They started beating us and waking us up from our vehicles. They even destroyed some vehicles and injured one of us,” he said.

He also disclosed that the Airport Security had denied knowledge of the incident.

An executive of the association, Mr Lateef Balogun, said that their cars were vandalised and some members beaten up.

He said that they were punished and asked to frog jump early Saturday morning.

When our correspondent contacted the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, Mrs Obiageli Orah, she said that the report had not been brought to her notice and until then, she could not confirm the incident.

Efforts to speak with the Director, Aviation Security Services, Mr Igbafe Afegbai, proved abortive as he did not answer calls put through by our correspondent.

It was reported that members of the association have not operated since Sunday, leaving most passengers stranded.