LAGOS: Aviation unions in Nigeria have issued a strong warning, threatening to shut down all airports across the country starting on March 31, 2025, if immediate action is not taken against a Customs officer who recently assaulted the Director of Aviation Security at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
In a statement issued on Monday, the unions, including the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), strongly condemned the continuous physical assaults on FAAN personnel.
They expressed their frustration with the ongoing attacks and announced they would no longer tolerate such behavior.
The unions demanded that the Customs officer responsible for the assault be removed from his position immediately. Also, they called on the government to significantly reduce the number of Customs officers operating in civil aviation, aligning the country’s practices with international standards.
The unions stated, Considering the enormity and frequency of physical and psychological assaults on FAAN staff and management personnel, with no end in sight, we are compelled to inform the management of our unwavering determination to ensure that a framework of mutual respect is established between FAAN staff and the security agencies operating at the airports.
They added that, if their demands were not met, they would be forced to withdraw all workers from airports on March 31, 2025, until clear protocols for the safety and respect of FAAN personnel are put in place.
The unions made it clear that “Consequential sanctions” would be enforced, ensuring the safety and human rights of FAAN staff, and warned of an impending industrial conflict if the situation was not addressed adequately.
The statement also described the recent assault on the Director of Aviation Security as a tipping point, one that had left a bitter impression on union members and left them feeling that their patience had been exhausted.
They emphasized that this incident was one too many and was now pushing them to take drastic actions.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdullahi Maiwada, offered a different perspective on the incident. He claimed that the disagreement between FAAN officials and the Customs officers stemmed from a miscommunication over the movement of equipment and seating arrangements. Maiwada suggested that the incident was not a deliberate assault, but rather the result of a misunderstanding.
However, the unions have made it clear that they will not accept this explanation and are demanding significant changes to prevent further incidents of this nature.
As tensions rise between the unions and security agencies, the threat to shut down airports nationwide looms large, with the aviation sector facing potential disruption unless urgent action is taken to address the grievances of the unions.
