Disputed Land: AIC’s Harry Akande Shuts Down MMIA Airport Premises, Halts Commercial Activities – FAAN

The Federal Airport Authorities says promoters of AIC Ltd, Chief Harry Akande have again taken the law into their hands by locking down the Diplomatic Car Park of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos today, Wednesday, April 9 2014.

Yakubu Dati, Aviation Group Spokesman in a statement alleges that Akande, who came in a convoy of cars with several men to personally take possession of the land in dispute between his company and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, arrived at about mid-day; He used his personal car to block the entrance to the car park which led to a traffic gridlock at the entrance of the Arrival Hall of the airport for a long period.

Dati added that “It took the intervention of Aviation Security officials to bring the ugly situation under control.”

He said the thugs Chief Akande brought along were still loitering inside the park, as at the time of this report thereby constituting a security risk at the airport. They also parked a bus loaded with barbed wire within the premises of the disputed land.

“Promoters of Chief Akande had on April 7 sent an sms to some journalists inviting them to cover the take-over of the disputed land, stating that “our Chairman, Chief (Dr) Harry Akande intends to physically reclaim our land on Wednesday, 9th April @ 9am. We will appreciate your presence to record the event…”

This is not the first time Chief Harry Akande of AIC Ltd and his men have tried to take the law into their own hands over the disputed land, using unsubstantiated court orders as excuse.

The The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria spokesman further stated that as a responsible entity, FAAN will continue to protect the interest of the Nigerian people within the ambits of the law, no matter the level of provocation.