Nigerian Airspace Management
Agency (NAMA) has completed the installation of the International Civil
Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
certified solar powered Airfield Lighting (AFL) system at Murtala
Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos and Port Harcourt International Airport
(PHIA).
The Managing Director of NAMA, Engr.
Ibrahim Abdulsalam, who disclosed this yesterday in Lagos, explained
that the installed lighting system is a product of Avlite Systems Pty
Limited, Australia, one of the world’s solar LED airfield system
manufacturers.
He stated that the lighting system
certified by the ICAO and FAA is currently in use at various airports
across the globe, particularly in Africa, Caribbean, Europe and South
America.
Abdulsalam added that with the
installation of the system at the two major airports, the tempo of night
and low visibility operations is expected to increase and reduce
operational cost to the airlines through less taxiing and long wait for
take-offs and landing.
NAMA, he said, is also expected to
benefit in areas of low maintenance and running cost as power generation
and cabling are totally eliminated.
Meanwhile, an unruly passenger, Sadiaq
Iliyasu, on board FirstNation Flight FRN101 enroute Abuja to Lagos
yesterday, caused a bomb scare at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport (NAA),
Abuja, forcing the aircraft to return to ramp.
The airline, however, said that the passenger was immediately handed over to law enforcement agents at the airport.
The spokesman of the airline, Luke
Terver-Uzer, explained that Sadiaq Iliyasu on seat number 8D became
unruly after the airplane had commenced taxing and claimed he had
forgotten his phone.
He also explained that efforts by the
crew to prevail on the passengers proved abortive, adding that in line
with the standard procedures of the airline, the captain of the flight
returned the airplane back to the ramp and asked the passengers to
disembark.
Terver-Uzer added that at the ramp, the passengers were
re-screened and the airplane re-checked in line with the airline’s
security procedure.
According to him, “A passenger by name
Sadiaq? Iliyasu on seat 8D became unruly after the aircraft had
commenced taxi and at the threshold, claiming he had forgotten his
phone. All efforts to prevail on him were abortive. Hence, in accordance
with our operating procedure, the Captain of the flight returned the
aircraft back to ramp to off load the passenger. The unruly passenger
was then handed over to law enforcement at the airport.”
He continued, “As? a precaution, the
aircraft was then searched in line with security procedure with our
standard security procedure. It is important to clarify that the
passenger did not have checked bag and the flight thereafter operated?
to Lagos safely.”
The airline lamented that the nation’s
aviation regulations and law as it concerns unruly behaviour on board
aircraft is weak, calling on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
(NCAA) and the law enforcement agencies to ensure that there is sanction
for such behaviour.
“The regulatory authorities and law
enforcement agencies will need to enforce sanction against this type of
unruly behaviour. Our regulations and law enforcement is weak when it
comes to dealing with unruly passenger,” he said.
Terver-Uzer said that incident was not a
bomb scare as alleged in some quarters but that given the mood of the
country at this time, FirstNation Airways appreciates the apprehension
and over reaction, assuring that the airline employs industry best
practice in all areas of its operations.
NCAA’s Media Officer, Sam Adurogboye, who
spoke on behalf of the General Manager, Public Affairs, Fan Ndubuoke,
confirmed the incident.
Source: Daily Independent
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