Chinelo Obogo

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), has ordered Intergrated Intelligence Imaging West Africa (I-Cube), to cease collection of toll fares from motorists and vacate the Murtala International Airport access gate with immediate effect.

In a letter dated February 4, 2020 and signed by the managing director of FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu and copies sent to the Airforce commandant, MMIA, Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Director of State Security Services, all directors of FAAN and all the aviation unions, FAAN said the concessionaire should immediately vacate the access gate as the agency had resolved to temporarily take over.

The letter which was served to the concessionaire by midday reads: “We refer to the above-mentioned agreement which commenced on the 10th day of February 2014 and expired on February 9, 2019. Kindly be informed that the authority has resolved to temporarily take over the management of the said Murtala Mohammed International Airport Access gate with immediate effect to determine the actual revenue generated from the access gate.

“By this letter, you are requested to vacate the premises immediately. This will enable the authority to take appropriate decisions on the management of the access gate.”

The manager of I-Cube, Leke Abajingi, confirmed to our correspondent that the letter from FAAN was received and that the company will abide by the agency’s directive.

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“The issue has been resolved. FAAN has given us a letter, not one of termination but a letter to tell us that our contract has expired and that they want to take over temporarily to monitor the revenue by themselves for some time. They said that the normal due process will be followed. Bear in mind that the case is still in court as one of the interested companies took FAAN to court over the matter and joined us as defendants.

“We will abide by the letter that FAAN sent to us because we already know that our contract has expired and is subject to renewal. But we want to put it on record that we have had a good relationship with FAAN for 11 years and have not failed in paying our monthly remittance. We are not owing FAAN contrary to what some are saying, “Abajingi said.

The directive came on the heels of the seizure of the access gates on Monday, February 3, by the three major aviation unions, Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE).

As early as 7am on Monday, February 3, the unions arrived at the access gates and ordered staff of I-Cube to vacate the collection points. The action nearly escalated as officers from the Air Force came to the scene and tried to send the union members away so that the staff of I-Cube will continue with toll collection.

 The leaders of three unions who spoke to our correspondent said that they had been agitating for the management of FAAN to hand over the control of the revenue points back to the commercial department of the agency for a period of at least three months, insisting that they will generate more revenue than what the concessionaire is currently remitting to FAAN. The unions also said that the control of the access points by a concessionaire had rendered many staff of the agency redundant and had also caused a depletion of revenue generated by FAAN.

However, in the early hours of Tuesday, February 4, security officers were deployed there to avert escalation of the crisis and motorists using the access gate were passing freely without paying toll fare. Union members and staff of the concessionaire were seen sitting on both sides of the access gate unable to interfere as vehicles moved freely.