The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced plans to establish magistrate courts at airports across the country to combat touting and ensure immediate prosecution of rule violators.
During a meeting held on Friday in Abuja between FAAN management and heads of security agencies at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, FAAN’s Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, emphasized the challenges posed by touts and unauthorized individuals loitering around airport premises. She expressed concern that such activities compromise the safety and comfort of genuine airport users.
“There are people who have absolutely no business being at the airport, and they continue to create issues for us,” Kuku stated. “We have an anti-touting taskforce, and as it is, we are going to start the prosecution onsite of those engaging in these illicit activities or loitering around the airport environment and harassing passengers. This doesn’t happen elsewhere around the world, and the airport should be a safe space.”
In addition to addressing touting, Kuku also highlighted the need to streamline operations at the airport, particularly by reducing manual baggage searches at the international wing.
She explained that a new process would involve baggage screening through machines, allowing security officials to view contents in real-time and conduct secondary screenings only when necessary.
The meeting served as an opportunity for FAAN to inform airport stakeholders about recent developments and discuss strategies for improving passenger facilitation and overall airport efficiency.
Focus Keyword: FAAN to curb touting