Aviation
THE Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has asked former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to apologise to airport personnel and pay a N25,000 fine for alleged wrongful parking at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Keyamo made the demand in a statement on his verified X handle following an internal investigation into Obi’s claim that the tyres of his vehicle were unjustly clamped at the airport.
According to the minister, the investigation was prompted by Obi’s public allegation that the incident formed part of a persecution agenda by the Federal Government.
He said CCTV footage from the airport showed that Obi arrived at the domestic terminal on July 4 at about 8:28 p.m. in a vehicle driven by a police officer.
The minister said Obi and two other occupants entered the terminal, while the police driver parked the vehicle in a designated drop-off zone before also leaving it unattended.
According to him, airport regulations require drivers to remain with vehicles in the drop-off area, adding that the unattended vehicle remained there for about 30 minutes.
Keyamo said airport security officials subsequently clamped the vehicle’s tyres because it had been left unattended in a prohibited area.
He added that the officials were unaware the vehicle belonged to Obi when they carried out the enforcement action.
The minister alleged that when the police driver discovered the vehicle had been clamped, he contacted Obi, who spoke with the airport manager and requested the vehicle’s release.
He said the vehicle was released without payment of the prescribed N25,000 penalty.
Keyamo described the incident as an attempt to generate public sympathy over an enforcement action arising from a breach of airport regulations.
He rejected Obi’s claim that other motorists committed similar offences on the same day, describing the allegation as false.
The minister said leaving a vehicle unattended in a restricted airport zone constituted a security risk and violated international airport safety practices.
He demanded that Obi publicly apologise to airport workers whom he said were unfairly portrayed as persecutors for carrying out their duties.
Keyamo also asked Obi to voluntarily return to the airport and pay the N25,000 fine for the parking violation.
He said if Obi failed to comply within one week, he would direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to take appropriate action.
The statement reflects the minister’s account of the incident. Obi has not publicly responded to the latest allegations at the time of filing this report.
F.O
Tags: Airport parking Keyamo