Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, has stated his ministry and different related companies would quickly unveil sensible steps being taken to handle “begging and extortion” throughout airports in Nigeria.
In an announcement posted on his official X web page on Sunday, the Minister defined that he has obtained a number of complaints concerning the menace of begging and extortion on the nation’s worldwide airports by just a few unscrupulous individuals.
He stated his telephones are beeping each minute with messages about these (begging and extortion) incidents from well-meaning Nigerians.
“Simply to set the data straight, many of the companies concerned on this menace aren’t beneath the management of the Aviation Ministry, although they’re stationed at our airports,” Mr Keyamo stated.
The Minister stated he has been working carefully with different ministers and companies to proffer options to the issues.
“We’re all working beneath the coordination of the Nationwide Safety Adviser, who known as a gathering just a few days in the past on this situation, and we will quickly unveil sensible steps being taken to stem this ugly tide. We thank Nigerians for his or her everlasting vigilance on this situation,” Mr Keyamo stated.
Issues
A standard sight on the arrival and departure lounges of main airports in Nigeria are authorities officers (Customs, Immigration, NDLEA, and so forth) in search of kickbacks from departing or arriving passengers.
Somewhere else, the premises of main airports within the nation are occupied by unauthorised merchants — from these promoting ‘Kilishi’ (dried beef ) to a number of others hawking gadgets corresponding to padlocks and associated gadgets.
Whereas these actions and the continual alleged unprofessional actions from some authorities officers stationed on the airports proceed to boost security considerations, many Nigerians consider that the airport surroundings will likely be safer for travellers if these points are correctly addressed.
In the meantime, a PREMIUM TIMES investigation in 2018 additionally revealed how poor airport amenities are fueling touting, hawking and different illicit actions throughout main airports within the nation, thus posing security considerations.
Reactions
On Sunday, many Nigerians on the X platform reacted to the Minister’s assertion and known as for an pressing implementation of the measures being put in place to handle the incidents of begging/extortion on the airport.
“No matter sensible stem that’s agreed upon by the NSA and the involved ministries and companies heads ought to completely put a cease to the embarrassment known as begging and extortion at our airports,” a commentator, Mr Ebony(@donald_segun), tweeted.
In his response, one other X consumer, Adewale Damilare (@dammygtnet), stated, “If that is solved, nearly all of the problems being confronted in our worldwide airports will go. Some will even wish to punish you for not parting together with your cash. It’s actually disturbing. Nearly each level you attain, na so so begging… Maka, why🤷”
“The worst is Enugu airport. The Bambiala within the airport from Customs to immigration is unbearably embarrassing,” says @MaduabuchiDr in one other tweet.
On his half, an X consumer @Okwudilidave stated, “It’s widespread throughout all sectors, not simply at airports. You may observe it in banks, whether or not you’re coming into the banking corridor or utilizing the ATM, even in eateries, and extra.”
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