The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has disowned responsibility for the initial handling of the incident involving Comfort Emmanson and Ibom Air at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MM2), Lagos, last Sunday.
Ibom Air staff and Emmanson exchanged blows at the foot of the aircraft.
In a statement issued on Friday, FAAN clarified that its personnel played no role in the early stages of the clash, which took place inside the terminal operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited.
FAAN explained that Ibom Air’s internal security and Bi-Courtney’s Aviation Security Unit oversee security operations at MM2, since the terminal is privately managed.
The authority stated: “The MM2 Terminal is a Private Tenant Restricted Area. FAAN AVSEC officers carry out passenger and baggage screening at designated checkpoints, while Bi-Courtney’s security team manages general terminal security operations.”
FAAN added that its Aviation Security personnel became involved only when officials transferred Emmanson to the Crime Investigation and Intelligence Unit, known as “Tango City”, for documentation before handing her over to the Nigeria Police for prosecution.
Reaffirming its commitment to professionalism, FAAN stressed that it prioritises the training and retraining of its AVSEC officers in line with Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regulations.
The statement continued: “FAAN remains committed to the continuous training and retraining of our AVSEC officers. Only NCAA-certified institutions may conduct certification-related training for aviation personnel.”
FAAN assured the public that it remains dedicated to upholding the highest standards of safety, security, and professionalism across all airport facilities nationwide.