On Tuesday, the Nigerian Aviation Transport Senior Staff at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Terminal 2, commenced a demonstration against the firing of 37 employees of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited.
According to a message by John Ojikutu, the Chief Executive Officer of Centurion Aviation Security and Safety Consult, the ATSSSAN protest taking place at the MMA2 Terminal has left travelers stranded because the union has blocked the terminal’s entrance.
He also expressed his disapproval with the union’s rally, saying that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, the industry regulator, should do more to rein in the unions’ lawlessness.
“Just hearing from a colleague at the MM2 Terminal that the unions have blocked the entrances to the terminal refusing passengers from getting access into the terminal to catch their flights operated by airlines and not by the terminal operator,” he wrote.
He added that the disruptive personnel should be put to order and that if there are rules to control unruly passengers, then there should be laws to control unruly employees and unions.
“The NCAA in particular has the absolute powers and authority on civil aviation security in the airports. If there are Civil Aviation Laws for disruptive passengers, there must be similar laws within the Airport Operational Areas for disruptive staff and disruptive staff unions.
“With the trends in the activities of our homegrown terrorists, BH, Bandits, Unknown gunmen, etc, we must be wary of the infiltration of any of these as ‘copycats’ amongst the disruptive staff or unions.
“We witnessed or heard how the EndSARS groups were infiltrated in Lagos two years ago just as the US Embassy has given us Advisory Warnings on possible attacks from our homegrown terrorists groups.
“My knowledge and experience in aviation security tell me always that civil aviation is always on the top lists of targets for attacks by the terrorists.
“What is happening around us now needs more vigilant attention than what is showing out now at the Lagos Airport MM2. Let us urgently call the disruptive staff to order.
“Let them carry their grievances to the offices of their employer and not to the passengers terminal building. A word is enough for the wise.”
