By CHINELO OBOGO, Lagos

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has accused the head of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (NAIA), Mr Safiyanu Abbaa, for allegedly assaulting an Aviation Security (AVSEC) staff.

In a series of tweets, the agency said that the assault took place at the international terminal of the NAIA where Abba allegedly obstructed airport procedures and physically assaulted the AVSEC officer.

The Tweet entitled “Breach of security procedure and assault on AVSEC Officer by Head of DSS at the International Terminal of NAIA Abuja” read:

‘We note with dismay that Mr Safiyanu Abba, the Head of DSS at NAIA deliberately obstructed airport security process and slapped an aviation security officer who was performing his duty by calling on Mr Safiyanu Abba to resist from doing so.

‘This happened on the 17th July at about 15:25 hours. He breached security procedure by obstructing further searching of a visitor who had just walked through the metal detector as activated the alarms.

‘The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria strongly condemns this abuse of power and the security process. In our airports, this has been duly escalated.’

Earlier in the month, the agency accused Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State and former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, for violating the health guidelines approved by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 at Port Harcourt and Kano airports, respectively.

On Thursday, July 16, the agency accused Fintiri of refusing to observe the airport security and public health protocols as directed by the Federal Government through the PTF on COVID19 by refusing to have his temperature checked, or being sanitised by the health officials.

The agency said Fintiri arrived Port Harcourt International Airport aboard aircraft 5N-IZY, at 17:08 hrs on 14th July 2020 with eight people in his entourage who did exactly as he did.

Fintiri’s team was also reported to have driven right through the barricades up to the terminal building ignoring traffic and aviation security instructions when they came to receive him.

On Wednesday, July 15, FAAN also accused Yari of violating public health procedures on travels at the Aminu Kano International Airport on Saturday 11th July 2020.

The agency said Yari refused to adhere to the protocols and procedures put in place by the Federal Government through the PTF on COVID19 by forcefully pushing away an officer of the Environment department when he insisted that his luggage must be disinfected.

The former governor reportedly refused that his luggage will be disinfected, saying that the airport officer should have known he is a VIP. According to the Minister of Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika, the COVID-19 flight guidelines were approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, both men denied the allegations but the Minister for Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika assured that violators of the guidelines will be prosecuted. (Daily Sun)