FAAN bans immigration officials caught ‘extorting 14-year-old of N8k’

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it has banned two immigration officials from working in any Nigerian airport.

FAAN said the officials extorted a 14-year-old girl travelling through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. 

The agency disclosed this in a statement released on Friday.

According to the statement signed by Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, general manager, corporate affairs, FAAN, the agency said the officials had defrauded a total of N8,000 from the teenager travelling on Lufthansa Airline.

Hope-Ivbaze added that the officers were caught with the help of the CCTV footage at the airport. 

“Following a tweeted allegation on the 19th of February 2022 by the mother of a 14year old girl travelling on Lufthansa Airline that two officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service extorted the sum of eight thousand naira from her daughter, a team of FAAN Aviation Security officers were commissioned to investigate the allegation,” the statement reads.

“Upon investigation, they found the allegation to be true, as the officers involved were identified with the help of footage on our CCTV facility and the cooperation from the Nigerian Immigration Service.

“Consequently, the officers were made to refund the exact amount collected from the passenger.

“Their duty cards were also withdrawn permanently, and they have been banned from working in any Nigerian airport, to serve as a deterrent to others.”

She further lauded the effort of the girl’s mother for reporting the case, adding that the agency is committed to exposing any airport official caught in a fraudulent act.

“We would like to commend the mother of the child, who has confirmed receipt of the money, for deeming it fit to escalate the case, and assisting us tremendously in the course of our investigation,” Hope-Ivbaze said.

“Also, we would like to express our appreciation to the comptroller of Immigration, MMA and her team for her cooperation and support in addressing this issue.

“The Authority will continue to identify and sanction any airport official (including FAAN officials) found to be extorting passengers or perpetuating any act of illegality at our airports.”