Controversy lingers over alleged robbery of music stars at Lagos Airport

Controversy has continued to trail the alleged robbery of a private jet conveying two top Nigerian music stars - Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun aka Wizkid and Tiwa Savage at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

The duo were returning to Lagos after performing in Uyo on December 26 when the incident reportedly happened at around 8:00 p.m. The Bombardier Challenger 605 jet with registration number T7A00 which was said to be taxing to the arrival hangar had to slow to allow an Ethiopian Airlines cargo plane to take off.

It was at the point that the Pilot-in-Command noticed that the cargo compartment had been burgled. Two pieces of luggage belonging to the music stars were said to have been stolen by the alleged bandits.

The December 26 incident happened two weeks after a similar report of baggage pilfering was made on a private jet taxiing to another executive hangar upon arrival from Istanbul, Turkey.

However the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) swiftly issued a statement dispelling the report which it said was practically impossible.

The Authority through its spokesman, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, said it was not possible for anyone to burgle an aircraft in motion.

The Authority said that in both instances, preliminary findings by an inter-agency committee set up to probe the allegations could not substantiate the claims.

“The purported victims in the said cases also did not make themselves available for questioning in the quest to unravel the case. Although investigations are still on going, FAAN will like to reassure travellers and the general public that with the level of safety and security systems on ground at the airports, it is practically impossible for an aircraft to be burgled within our runways and aprons,” the statement said.

Similarly the Lagos Airport Police Command dismissed the reports, adding that the alleged victims did not also make any complaint to the police.

But Group Capt. John Ojikutu, former Commandant of MMA, insisted it was a security breach.

“This is an aviation/airport security breach that calls for investigation only by the NCAA not the police that has no role in the aviation security defence layers,” he said.