Nigeria Content Online

The presidency on
Thursday directed that an investigation be promptly carried out to
ascertain the circumstances that led to the breach of security at the
Margaret Ekpo Airport in Calabar, carried out on Wednesday by the
driver of a commercial taxi.

The senior special
adviser to the president on aviation, Shehu Usman Iyal, said all
necessary security bodies are already briefing the National Security
Adviser (NSA), Aliyu Gusau, on the matter and maximum penalty will be
meted out to anyone involved in causing the nation such an embarrassing
incident.

“Appalled by the
obvious and unfortunate security breach at the Margaret Ekpo
International |Airport yesterday, the presidency through the office of
the National Security Adviser (NSA) has directed that detailed
investigations be promptly carried out to unravel the
circumstances/factors that led to the very unusual venturing of a lone
driver onto the otherwise secured tarmac of the Calabar Airport to ram
into an Abuja bound Arik Aircraft at the Calabar Airport,” Mr. Iyal
said in a statement on Thursday.

“Requisite agencies
and airport authorities are already briefing the NSA on this very
condemnable breach at the Calabar airport. The presidency is assuring
that maximum penalty shall be meted out to concerned persons or airport
authorities if any form of dereliction of duty is established as a
causative factor in the very embarrassing Calabar airport incident.”

Mr, Iyal also said
the federal government would like to assure air travellers that the
nation’s security agencies ‘are working virtually round the clock to
keep our airports safe and secured.

“The Calabar
incident is indeed a reminder that in spite of our efforts, a lot more
needs to be done on improving security as per International Civil
Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standard and recommended practices (SARPs)
in all the airports in the country,” he said.

Desperate driver

On Wednesday, a
rickety salon car, painted blue and white, the official colour pattern
of registered taxis in Calabar, ran into an aircraft belonging to Arik
Air just as the aircraft’s doors were being shut.

A man, who claimed
that he is Jesus Christ, emerged from the car after the collision and
declared that he had made the desperate move to save the aircraft from
an impending crash.

The man, who
carried a huge bible and a huge cross, had said he was trying to save
the aircraft, a Boeing 737 700, and the passengers departing Calabar
for Abuja.

The man was promptly arrested by airport officials. There were no injuries from the incident.