This was made known in a statement by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo on X.com on Monday.
According to the Minister of Aviation, the unit has been mandated to arrest and prosecute touts and other suspected criminals operating within the airport premises.
The Minister revealed that the initiative will be replicated at other international airports in the country, ensuring a safer and more secure environment for passengers and airport users.
The statement said, “As part of the steps we earlier promised Nigerians to take to curb the menace of touting and other illegal activities around our airports, earlier today the Managing Director of FAAN, on my behalf, unveiled the armed Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
“We will replicate it at other international airports. They have the mandate to arrest and prosecute touts and other suspected criminals around our airports.
“This is apart from the other inter-ministerial effort that is still ongoing to deal specifically with the issue of agencies of government within the airports that are involved in extortion, bribery and begging.”
Keyamo had in a statement on Sunday said the issue of extortion of passengers by officials of government agencies at the nation’s airports is beyond the ministry’s control.
He however said the aviation ministry was working with other ministers responsible for the affected agencies to find a lasting solution to the problem.
The minister’s statement came in response to numerous complaints by travellers over alleged extortion by officials at the airport.
Watch the video below:
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