The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has engaged with the Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, to address the concerns of aviation workers who are protesting the conduct of Customs officers at the Lagos airport.
The branch Chairman of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria at FAAN, John Ogbe, disclosed this on Monday, according to The Punch.
A source at FAAN, who requested to remain anonymous due to lack of authority to comment on the matter, revealed that FAAN Managing Director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, is also in talks with the office of the National Security Adviser regarding the issue.
Earlier in March, aviation workers called for the removal of the customs controller at the airport command following incidents of attacks on airport officials by customs operatives.
Inter-agency clashes have become a recurring issue between FAAN and other agencies at the airport, particularly with the Nigeria Customs Service.
The latest disagreement involved Customs officers allegedly attacking the Director of Aviation Security Services, Igbafe Afegbai, at Murtala Muhammed Airport.
This incident has sparked outrage among aviation workers, further intensifying their grievances against the service.
In a strong-worded statement, three unions, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, National Union of Air Transport Employees, and Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, issued a 14-day ultimatum for the redeployment of Controller Murtala Muhammed Area Command of the customs in charge of Pilgrims and Cargo Terminal, alongside all officers involved in the attack against AVSEC chief.
The unions also urged the Federal Government to redefine the role of Customs within bonded warehouses in civil aviation, emphasizing the need for alignment with global standards.
After the initial 14-day ultimatum expired, the unions issued a further seven-day ultimatum, which ended on March 31.
Providing an update on the workers’ action, Ogbe stated that an appeal from FAAN’s Managing Director led the unions to grant a one-week extension for their demands to be addressed.
He also revealed that FAAN has initiated discussions with the Controller General of Customs regarding the same issues.
He said, “The strike would have started but for an appeal from the MD of FAAN, who told us that she had opened the discussion with the Controller General of Customs over the matter.
“We gave one week again, but this time, we won’t be going back to them before our action. And it was last Thursday that we gave that final extension.”
