Tension escalated at the domestic wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on Tuesday as five operational buses belonging to Air Peace were impounded by police authorities following the picketing of domestic flight operations by aviation unions
The buses, which were parked across the taxiway early Tuesday morning, were towed to the Beecham Police Station under the Airport Command.
Security officials allege that yet to be identified persons used the vehicles to obstruct aircraft movement in an attempt to halt operations of other airlines and increase pressure on management to force negotiations with union leaders.
The police, however, are treating the incident with far greater gravity.
Officers described the blockade as a serious security breach and are viewing it as an act of terrorism until proven otherwise.
A senior officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said the drivers of the buses have been summoned to report at the station, adding that the vehicles will remain in custody until investigators determine who gave the directive to block the taxiway.
“This is a reaction taken too far,” the officer said. “Blocking a taxiway endangers aircraft and passengers. We cannot treat it as a normal labour action.”
The picketing, led by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, ATSSSAN, NAAPE and backed by the NLC and TUC, is now in its second day with no resolution in sight.
The unions are protesting alleged anti-union practices by some domestic airlines and the non-remittance of the 5% Ticket Sales Charge to aviation agencies.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has appealed to the unions to suspend the action and await the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, who is expected to mediate in the dispute.
Meanwhile, flight operations remain disrupted at the Lagos and Abuja airports, with passengers stranded and airlines counting losses as both labour and security agencies maintain hardline positions.
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