The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has directed the immediate removal of a transport company accused of unlawfully clamping vehicles and imposing ₦25,000 fines on motorists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The Punch reported that the decision followed a complaint over the alleged improper enforcement of the airport’s no-parking and no-pick-up regulations.
The complaint also alleged that some motorists were compelled to make payments through personal bank accounts and Point-of-Sale operators.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the complaint was brought to the attention of the agency’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, who subsequently ordered the company’s removal from the airport.
Achimugu said, “Based on the escalation of this complaint to the Managing Director of FAAN, Ms Olubunmi Kuku, she has ordered the immediate ejection from the Abuja airport of the company responsible for this illegal action.”
He said Kuku had repeatedly made it clear that FAAN would intervene whenever there was evidence of unlawful conduct, particularly practices that inconvenience airport users.
The complaint, made public by a lawyer identified simply as Ogundele, alleged that motorists who stopped briefly within the airport premises risked having their vehicles clamped by enforcement personnel and being asked to pay a ₦25,000 penalty.
Ogundele claimed motorists were directed to a red-painted container, where the alleged fines were demanded.
He further alleged that, instead of being directed to an official payment channel, some motorists were referred to POS operators and accounts bearing names including Sani Nasiru, Bala Matazu and Yahaya Matage.
He said the arrangement placed motorists under pressure, especially those in a hurry to catch flights or pick up passengers.
“Why am I paying a random PoS guy? Isn’t there a designated account for this purpose?” he recalled asking.
Ogundele also alleged that motorists who paid through the officially designated account could be left waiting for hours or days before their payments were confirmed, whereas payments made through the accounts provided by enforcement personnel were processed immediately.
FAAN, however, disassociated itself from the company and the alleged practices.
Responding to the matter, Kuku said, “Yes, it is because they do not have a current agreement and they have been warned against such practices in the past.”
The agency’s action effectively ends the company’s operations at the Abuja airport over the alleged unauthorised enforcement and collection of penalties.
