CHUKS OKOH
Former Airport Commandant of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA), Lagos, Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd), has issued a stern warning to the Presidency, Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo, and the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) over the dangerous implications of introducing political campaign activities into the country’s airports.
President Bola Tinubu weekend appointed Keyamo, to head the Directorate of Air Mobilisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 re-election campaign, placing him at the helm of one of the campaign’s strategic operational structures.Under the new arrangement, Keyamo will serve as Director of the Directorate of Air Mobilisation, with the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, appointed Deputy Director 1, while Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar will serve as Deputy Director II
Ojikutu in a chat with our Aviation Editor, warned that any directive or attempt to mobilize crowd-based political support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other party within airport precinct especially MMA, presents severe threats to aviation security and, by extension, national security.
He cautioned the Presidency to carefully weigh the national security repercussions before issuing or implementing directives that turn aviation facilities into political campaign grounds.
Highlighting the unique vulnerability of MMA, the retired Air Force officer noted that the airport serves as an attractive hub to assemble crowds from surrounding areas like Oshodi, Ikeja, Egbeda, Agege, and Ajao.
He questioned the capacity and preparedness of the security agencies operating in and around the airport to manage potential insurgencies or civil unrest if political crowds are allowed to gather, recalling the volatile political disruptions experienced during the 1993 political crisis as a historical lesson against mixing aviation infrastructure with political calculations.
Ojikutu stressed that civil aviation regulated services do not accommodate political rallies or labour union mobilization patterns, warning that such acts risk international sanction.
He reminded authorities that global aviation bodies, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), monitor compliance strictly, warning that unlawful acts and unruly behaviors directly impact foreign airlines’ insurance assessments and lead to increased airfares for passengers traveling to Nigeria.
The aviation security expert further urged the Minister of Aviation and relevant agencies to consult the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regarding previous ICAO security assessments.
He revealed that ICAO had directly engaged the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), who chairs the National Aviation Security Committee, over structural and operational security risks at MMA, underscoring that aviation security remains a vital function of national security that must not be compromised for political expediency.
