Murtala Muhammad Airport

By Ibrahim Happiness

I read with keen interest two articles published on June 2, 2026. One was the fact that Murtala Muhammed International Airport  is not insured, and another titled, “Teachers from Hell.” Though they address different issues, both expose a troubling reality in Nigeria: the persistent failure to enforce laws and regulations designed to protect citizens.

The article on the insurance status of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) raises serious questions about accountability in public institutions. If indeed Nigeria’s busiest airport operated without adequate insurance coverage despite clear regulatory requirements, then this represents not merely an administrative oversight but a failure of governance. The existence of regulations means little when compliance is not enforced.

What makes the situation particularly concerning is that the consequences of such lapses are often borne by the public. The approval of hundreds of billions of naira for airport rehabilitation highlights the enormous cost of neglecting basic risk management measures. Nigerians deserve to know how such a critical national asset was allowed to operate without the safeguards prescribed by law and who should be held responsible.

The article’s call for accountability is therefore timely and necessary. Beyond assurances and directives, there should be transparency regarding the circumstances that led to the lapse and concrete measures to prevent a recurrence. Public confidence can only be restored when accountability is visible and meaningful.

The second article, “Teachers from Hell,” addresses an equally disturbing issue: the violation of trust within educational institutions. Reports of teachers and school officials involved in kidnapping, sexual abuse, and other crimes against children are deeply troubling. Schools are meant to be safe spaces where children learn, grow, and develop. When those entrusted with their care become perpetrators of abuse, the consequences extend far beyond the immediate victims.

The cases highlighted in the article demonstrate the urgent need for stronger safeguarding measures in schools. Thorough background checks, effective monitoring systems, child protection policies, and accessible reporting channels must become standard practice across both public and private educational institutions.

Equally important is the need to educate children about personal safety and their rights. Awareness empowers children to recognise inappropriate behaviour and seek help when necessary. At the same time, swift prosecution of offenders remains essential to ensuring justice and deterring future abuse.

Although one article focuses on airport management and the other on child protection, both ultimately point to the same challenge: the gap between policy and implementation. Nigeria has laws, regulations, and institutional frameworks in place. What is often lacking is the commitment to enforce them consistently and effectively.

The fire incident at MMIA and the abuse cases in schools are reminders that regulations alone cannot guarantee safety. Without accountability, oversight, and enforcement, even the best policies become little more than words on paper.

Nigeria’s progress will not be measured by the number of laws it enacts but by how faithfully those laws are implemented. Citizens deserve institutions that uphold standards, protect lives, and act responsibly before crises occur, rather than after the damage is done.

Ibrahim Happiness is a 300-level student in Strategic Communication at the University of Abuja. She can be reached at: happinessibrahim11@gmail.com.

By Abdulhakeem Yetu Zakari

Police officers are sworn to protect, yet too often they become the very predators that citizens fear. The recent case of police extortion at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, highlighted by an editorial in the Nigerian Tribune on Friday, March 14, 2025, is just one of many disturbing examples.

A traveler, on his way out of the country, found himself at the mercy of uniformed officers who accused him of internet fraud merely because they discovered a love letter on his phone. What should have been a routine encounter quickly escalated into an ordeal—one that concluded with him being extorted of ₦260,000 through a POS transaction. 

The money was sent to an account linked to a suspect, a method that has become all too common in these shakedown operations. This brazen misconduct is more than just a stain on the reputation of the Nigerian police; it is a cancer eating deep into the fabric of society. 

When those responsible for law enforcement become the enforcers of lawlessness, to whom do citizens turn? Police extortion in Nigeria has evolved from sporadic bribes into a well-organized criminal enterprise embedded within the force. Officers who should be defending the rights of the people now act like rogue agents, preying on innocent citizens. 

The danger of this menace extends beyond financial loss—it breeds fear and resentment and erodes trust in the justice system. For many Nigerians, the fear of encountering police officers has surpassed the fear of encountering criminals. When citizens approach a police checkpoint, they are not concerned about security but about how much money they might have to part with to evade harassment, intimidation, or even arbitrary detention. 

Those who resist are often brutalised, falsely accused of crimes, or threatened with trumped-up charges. Some do not make it out alive. Every incident of extortion further damages the already fragile relationship between the police and the public. Citizens who are supposed to rely on law enforcement for protection now view officers with suspicion and fear. 

This loss of trust has far-reaching consequences—not just for individuals but for national security. When the public distrusts the police, cooperation in fighting actual crime diminishes. People become reluctant to report crimes, knowing that the very officers they turn to may exploit or even implicate them falsely. 

This weakens overall law enforcement efforts and emboldens actual criminals. On the international stage, these acts of extortion paint Nigeria as a nation where corruption is deeply entrenched. Foreign travellers and investors hear stories of police preying on citizens, and it raises concerns about safety, governance, and the rule of law. 

Who would want to visit or invest in a country where law enforcement officers act like criminals? I do not speak as an outsider to this reality—I, too, have been a victim. In December 2024, in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, my friend and I stepped out to buy something from a nearby store. Suddenly, police officers appeared and singled out my friend, accusing him of an unspecified crime. 

They found nothing incriminating, yet they threatened him and demanded a “bail” fee—right there on the roadside. No station, no paperwork, just a blatant extortion scheme. Having heard too many similar stories, I knew better than to linger. I ran. Because in Nigeria, when the police grab you, guilt or innocence does not matter. What matters is how much money they can extract before letting you go.

This is the harsh reality that many Nigerians face daily. Whether traveling abroad or simply walking down the street, citizens are easy targets for extortion. The very people meant to ensure safety have transformed into predators, shaking down those they vowed to protect. This must stop. 

I urge the relevant authorities to impose strict penalties on officers who misuse their power. There should be an independent complaints system where victims of police extortion can safely report cases without fear of retaliation. Surveillance and monitoring systems must be implemented, especially at known extortion hotspots such as airports and major highways.

If decisive action is not taken, police extortion will continue to thrive, deepening the distrust between the people and law enforcement. The Nigerian police force still has an opportunity to redeem itself, but it must act swiftly and decisively to purge corrupt elements from its ranks. If the police are no longer our protectors, then who will save us from them?

Abdulhakeem Yetu Zakari is interning at PRNigeria and can be reached at: abdulhakeemzakari7@gmail.com.

By Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu

A wave of emotions swept through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday, March 4, as 144 stranded Nigerians returned home from Libya. Some wept as they stepped onto Nigerian soil, clutching their few belongings, while others sighed in relief after months of hardship in the North African country.

The returnees—mostly women and children—arrived aboard a chartered Boeing aircraft at exactly 4:45 p.m. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) facilitated their homecoming in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other key stakeholders. Officials swiftly processed them, ensuring they underwent the necessary procedures for reintegration into society.

Among the returnees were 100 women, 8 men, 26 children, and 10 infants—individuals who had left Nigeria seeking a better future, only to find themselves ensnared in a nightmare. Libya, once viewed as a gateway to Europe, has become a dangerous trap for migrants. Many face forced labor, sexual exploitation, kidnappings, and inhumane detentions, with little hope of escape.

NEMA and its partners have worked tirelessly for years to bring stranded Nigerians home. At the airport, officials from the Nigeria Immigration Service, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the Department of State Services (DSS), Port Health Services, and the Nigeria Police Force were on the ground to facilitate their return. The returnees underwent biometric registration, medical screening, and psychological counseling before being transported to the Igando IDPs Resettlement Center for reintegration programs.

Yet, for many, homecoming is bittersweet. Aisha, 27, left Nigeria two years ago with dreams of a better life. Instead, she found herself trapped in Libya, forced to work under exploitative conditions just to survive. Holding her two-year-old son close, she said, “I don’t know where to start. I sold everything to travel. Now, I’m back with nothing.”

To help returnees like Aisha, the IOM, in partnership with NEMA and other agencies, provides reintegration support, including vocational training, business grants, and psychosocial counseling. These programs are essential in helping them rebuild their lives and find new opportunities at home.

This latest evacuation is part of an ongoing effort to rescue Nigerians from Libya’s brutal realities. Over the years, thousands have been repatriated, yet the cycle of irregular migration persists. Despite continuous awareness campaigns, human traffickers still lure young Nigerians with false promises of a better life abroad.

Experts argue that while evacuation efforts are commendable, the real solution lies in addressing the root causes of migration—unemployment, poverty, and lack of opportunities. Without viable alternatives at home, many will continue to take desperate risks.

Relief and uncertainty filled the air as the returnees settled into the temporary resettlement center. Some saw their return not as a failure but as a second chance. “I just want to find a way to care for my son,” Aisha said. “I don’t regret coming back. At least I am alive.”

The mission of NEMA and its partners is clear: to help returnees rebuild their lives. But for Nigeria, the bigger challenge remains—creating a future where its youth no longer feel compelled to risk everything for an uncertain journey abroad.

Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu—an NYSC serving corps member, writes from the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) in Abuja.

By Uzair Adam 

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has initiated an investigation into a viral video showing a woman tearing up a Nigerian Standard Passport at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. 

According to NIS spokesperson Kenneth Udo, the individual involved has been identified and called in for further investigation. 

The video, widely shared on social media, shows a woman, identified as Mrs Igiebor, ripping her husband’s Nigerian passport shortly after their arrival at the Lagos Airport on Saturday, August 10, 2024. When confronted about her actions, Mrs. Igiebor responded, “Is it your passport?”

The NIS noted that the incident could be a violation of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), which prohibits the willful destruction of Nigerian travel documents. 

The act specifies penalties for such offences, and if the allegations are proven, the individual’s actions will breach these provisions. 

The corresponding penalties are detailed under Section 10(h) of the same Act, which includes a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine.

Kenneth Udo emphasised the Service’s dedication to enforcing the Immigration Act to protect national security and uphold the dignity and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, disclosed that it has intercepted 2.4 million tramadol pills from Pakistan at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos

NDLEA Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, announced the seizure of the drug in a statement released on Sunday, October 9, 2022.

According to the spokesperson, the drugs were intercepted by the agency’s operatives at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport on Friday

He also said the drug weighs 2,356kg and the value is estimated to be 1.4 billion naira

“Desperate attempts by the tramadol drug cartel to smuggle into Nigeria over two million four hundred and sixty-five thousand (2, 465, 000) tablets of the pharmaceutical opioid in 225mg and 250mg, weighing two thousand, three hundred and fifty six kilograms (2,356kgs) with an estimated street value of one billion, forty million naira (N1, 040, 000, 000) through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos have been foiled by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA),” the statement reads.

The NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, commended the officers for their great works and advised them to remain “steadfast, resolute and unrelenting until the last gram of illicit drugs is taken away from the streets of Nigeria”

By Muhammad Sabiu

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has stated that an unidentified corpse was on Thursday discovered on the runway of Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed Airport.

FAAN stated the remains were discovered in the night by a motorized cleaner cleared to clean the runway, according to Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, FAAN’s interim corporate relations general manager.

“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria wishes to inform the general public of an incident in which an unidentified human remains were found on Runway 18R/36L on Thursday, May 19, 2022,” the statement said.

FAAN, therefore, announced that the runway was temporarily shut between 1:10 am and 3:43 am to allow for the immediate evacuation of the remains.

“Flight operations resumed at 0343 hours,” it added.

Investigations are ongoing as the outcome will be made public accordingly.