The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has rejected reports of stolen luggage on taxiing aircraft at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
The Authority labelled the reports as “baseless and practically impossible”.
Recall that singer Tiwa Savage had stated on Instagram stories that her luggage and that of other passengers aboard a chartered flight from Uyo to Lagos on Boxing Day was pilfered while the aircraft was still taxiing on the runaway.
The singer also called out the FAAN for the security breach and wondered how unauthorised persons could gain access to such sensitive areas of the airport without being spotted by security.
In a statement released last night by its spokesperson, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, the Airport Authority insists “it is practically impossible for an aircraft to be burgled within our runways and aprons”.
She says: “Furthermore because aircraft are highly technical machines, it is practically impossible for anyone who does not have the requisite training and competence to operate or tamper with the baggage compartment.”
Debunking insinuation that theft of luggage from the aircraft was becoming a frequent occurrence following previous reports that another private jet arriving from Istanbul, Turkey was burgled, FAAN insisted that in both instances preliminary findings from investigations conducted by an inter-agency committee set up to probe the allegations could not substantiate the claims.
“The purported victims in the said cases also did not make themselves available for questioning, in the quest to unravel the case”, the statement reads.
Investigations are still on-going.
