Category: Daily Trust

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Engr. Jennifer Adighije, has called for the optimisation of Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure to accelerate industrialisation, attract investment and unlock the country’s socio-economic potential.

Adighije made the call while delivering the Distinguished Alumni Lecture organised by the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The lecture, titled ‘Optimising Electricity for Powering Nigeria’s New Socio-Economic Frontiers,’ was held at the Engineering Lecture Theatre and attracted academics, industry professionals, students and stakeholders in the power sector.

Returning to her alma mater, Adighije described the event as both an honour and a homecoming, expressing appreciation to the University of Lagos for providing the academic foundation that shaped her career and leadership journey in Nigeria’s electricity industry.

She said the lecture theme was particularly relevant as the power sector undergoes major reforms aimed at expanding electricity access, attracting investment and improving service delivery.

According to the NDPHC chief, electricity has become the ‘currency of development’ in the global economy, with countries that have reliable and affordable power better positioned to create jobs, attract investments and drive industrial growth.

She added that dependable electricity is also essential to strengthening healthcare and education systems and improving citizens’ quality of life.

Adighije highlighted the Electricity Act 2023 as one of the most significant reforms in Nigeria’s power sector, noting that the legislation empowers states to establish and regulate their own electricity markets.

‘The legislation has created unprecedented opportunities for investment, innovation, competition and improved service delivery while accelerating the emergence of vibrant sub-national electricity markets capable of attracting greater private-sector participation,’ she said.

She disclosed that NDPHC is repositioning itself to maximise the value of its assets through improved operational efficiency, stronger corporate governance and strategic partnerships.

According to her, the company is committed to ensuring that investments in electricity infrastructure translate into tangible benefits for Nigerians while supporting the ongoing transformation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

Looking ahead, Adighije expressed confidence in the ability of the next generation of engineers to transform the sector through smarter electricity grids and cleaner, technology-driven energy systems.

UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, described the lecture as a celebration of excellence, collaboration and the enduring legacy of the university.

Ogunsola commended Adighije as a distinguished alumna whose professional achievements, she said, reflect UNILAG’s commitment to producing graduates with technical competence, integrity and visionary leadership.

She also stressed the importance of stronger collaboration between academia, industry and government amid rapid technological changes driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

‘Through initiatives such as this, we create platforms where experience meets aspiration and where our students are inspired by those who have successfully translated knowledge into impactful service,’ she said.

The lecture provided a platform for discussions on electricity sector reforms, technological innovation and the role of engineering in driving Nigeria’s economic development.

The Senate Committee on Customs and Excise has backed the ongoing reforms at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), commending Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi for accelerating the Service’s technology-driven modernisation.

The committee gave the endorsement recently during a two-day retreat with the NCS in Abuja, which included a tour of the Customs House in Maitama to assess ongoing reforms and the implementation of the Nigeria Customs Service Act.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Isah Jibrin, said the tour enabled lawmakers to see the impact of the reforms firsthand, particularly in technology deployment, infrastructure and operational efficiency.

‘We have heard about these reforms from afar, but today we have seen them ourselves. The transformation taking place in the NCS is remarkable,’ Jibrin said.

He said the visit also provided lawmakers with greater insight into how public funds allocated to the Service were being utilised, particularly capital expenditure.

According to him, the investments witnessed demonstrated that government funds were being deployed to strengthen Customs operations, improve trade facilitation and boost revenue generation.

The endorsement comes as the NCS faces growing expectations to raise revenue while reducing delays and costs associated with cargo clearance.

Adeniyi said technology was at the centre of the Service’s modernisation programme, with digital solutions now covering personnel administration and increasingly its core operational functions.

‘Technology helps us to work faster and more efficiently,’ he said, adding that the Service would continue expanding digitalisation across its operations.

He said the NCS was also deploying geospatial intelligence, digital surveillance and virtual shooting simulators to strengthen enforcement and border management.

Adeniyi also listed the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, Advance Ruling, Time Release Study and scanner deployment among key reforms aimed at improving trade facilitation and making Customs processes more predictable.

For importers, exporters and other trade operators, greater automation could reduce human intervention, improve cargo visibility and enable Customs to focus enforcement on high-risk consignments.

Nigeria’s efforts to expand and revitalise primary healthcare facilities should focus not only on infrastructure but also on the ability of the facilities to provide safe and reliable services to patients, stakeholders in the sector have said.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) is working towards having functional primary healthcare centres across the country’s political wards, with its revitalisation programme covering infrastructure, staffing, medicines, equipment, operating costs, ambulance services and quality improvement.

The agency’s Level 2 requirements include the capacity to provide services such as skilled birth attendance, reliable electricity with solar backup, water and sanitation, consulting rooms, wards, delivery rooms, pharmacy services, laboratory services and secure premises.

According to figures released by the NPHCDA as of June 2025, 1,163 primary healthcare centres had been completed and fully revitalised, while 2,774 others were at various stages of the process.

The development has renewed discussions on how the success of the programme should be measured beyond the completion of construction works.

Oliver van Veen of Vannin Group said the readiness of a healthcare facility depended on several interconnected factors, including the clinical services available, workforce, infrastructure, supplies, referral systems and day-to-day management.

He said healthcare facilities needed to have clearly defined services, with appropriate arrangements for referring patients whose conditions could not be managed at the primary healthcare level.

According to him, the availability of trained health workers is also essential because infrastructure alone cannot provide clinical care.

He said electricity, water, ventilation, privacy, infection prevention measures, waste management and communication facilities should be considered part of the requirements for effective healthcare delivery.

Van Veen also identified the availability of medicines, vaccines, diagnostic services and other medical consumables as important components of facility readiness.

He said effective referral arrangements were equally important, particularly for patients requiring specialised treatment, noting that referral systems should provide communication between facilities, transportation and proper transfer of patient information.

He added that maintenance, stock management, data reporting, cleaning, quality assurance and community feedback were necessary to sustain healthcare services after facilities became operational.

The importance of facility readiness can be illustrated by emergency situations requiring immediate attention, including complications during childbirth.

A functional primary healthcare centre would be expected to have appropriate personnel, electricity, water, emergency medicines and basic equipment available, as well as a clear mechanism for transferring patients requiring higher-level care.

Similar considerations apply to cases involving children with severe illness, adults experiencing breathing difficulties and other emergencies that may initially present at the primary healthcare level.

Stakeholders have also called for greater emphasis on measuring the services patients actually receive at facility level.

Such measures could include the number of hours facilities are open, availability of health workers during scheduled shifts, reliability of electricity and water, availability of essential medicines, vaccine cold-chain performance, laboratory services, referral response times and frequency of medicine stock-outs.

However, such indicators would need to take account of the different circumstances facing facilities, particularly those in remote or underserved communities.

The Federal Ministry of Health’s 2025 review also reported an increase in visits to facilities supported through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, while noting affordability as an ongoing concern.

With increased utilisation of primary healthcare facilities, stakeholders say ensuring that facilities have the personnel, supplies, equipment and referral systems required to provide services will remain important.

They further suggested that the transition from construction to service delivery should involve assessments of whether facilities can operate effectively under normal and emergency conditions.

Such assessments could include checking staffing arrangements, electricity and water supply, availability of medicines and equipment, referral communication, record management, waste disposal and maintenance responsibilities.

Nigeria’s primary healthcare expansion programme is aimed at improving access to essential health services across communities.

For the programme to achieve its intended impact, the performance of facilities will ultimately depend on whether patients can access the services they require when they need them, rather than solely on the completion of physical infrastructure.

As political activities ahead of the 2027 general election begin to gather momentum, Nigeria’s opposition is once again talking about unity. The goal is to present a single presidential candidate capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu.

But with key parties and influential figures already expressing different views, many are asking whether that ambition can become a reality.

Today on Nigeria Daily, we ask: Can Nigeria’s opposition truly unite behind one presidential candidate, or are the cracks already too deep?

The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, has seized 604.5 kilogrammes of cannabis following a raid on drug spots across the state.

The State NDLEA Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, who disclosed this in Benin, said the agency had launched a manhunt for the suspected drug kingpin, who fled before the arrival of the operatives.

According to him, on August 5, 2026, the agency and personnel of the Nigerian Army raided a notorious drug hub in Ewe Luleha, Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, where the drugs were discovered.

He said the raid resulted in the seizure of 65 bags of dried weeds that tested positive for skunk cannabis, weighing 604.5 kilogrammes.

He disclosed that the command had launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspected drug kingpin, identified as Sunday.

‘We are tracking the suspected drug kingpin who is in hiding following the recovery of the 604.5kg of cannabis,’ he said.

He assured that the suspect had nowhere to hide and would certainly be apprehended to face justice.

He urged members of the public to provide any information that could lead to the apprehension of the fleeing suspect and support ongoing efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking in the state.

Two men alleged to have assaulted a woman over non-payment of market levy have been arrested and detained by the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG) in Gwer East Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects, identified as Terwase Aye Abere and Mayange Aondowase, both from Igbor village, allegedly attacked the woman at the local market in Igbor, Gwer East LGA, after she told them she had made no sales and could not pay the levy.

Our correspondent gathered that the victim was allegedly beaten and dragged half-naked by the suspects before she was subsequently hospitalised.

The suspects were arrested after a witness reported the matter to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, who directed BSCPG operatives to apprehend them.

The two men, who are currently being held at the BSCPG facility in Makurdi, claimed during interrogation that they were volunteers attached to the Gwer East command of the security outfit.

A statement by Comrade Mfa Ogiri, Media Assistant to Har, said the suspects told investigators that they were acting on the instructions of their ward commanders, identified as Tiletswen and Ipker, who allegedly directed them to bring the woman to their office over an unresolved issue.

They were said to have explained that after the woman refused to comply with the instruction, they reported back by phone and were allegedly told to arrest her ‘even by force.’

The suspects further claimed that the confrontation that followed resulted in the woman sustaining injuries and being admitted to hospital.

Reacting to the incident, Har condemned the alleged assault and directed the State Commander of the BSCPG to produce the commanders mentioned by the suspects for interrogation.

Speaking to journalists by telephone in Makurdi, Har said an eyewitness, who is a lawyer, reported that the men had been collecting market tickets from traders, which he described as illegal.

‘The woman refused to pay, and that’s why they started dragging her. But according to the story of the boys, they said the woman has a case to answer in the office. They asked her to come. She refused to come. And that’s why they wanted to force her to go to the office.

‘For whatever reason, they have no such rights. So I have asked them (BSCPG) to prepare a letter to hand them over to the police for prosecution,’ he said.

Har said he had immediately directed the BSCPG commander in Gwer East, Master Warrant Officer Moses Mhoon, to arrest the suspects after the matter was reported.

He said Mhoon rushed to the scene, apprehended the suspects and brought them to Makurdi for detention, adding that the woman was receiving treatment in hospital.

The security adviser warned individuals posing as security operatives, particularly in rural communities, against harassing or intimidating members of the public.

‘The law will catch up with anyone hiding under the cover of security to harass or intimidate citizens,’ Har said.

Reflecting the sensitivity of this issue, I received a deluge of responses through my phone and email. A lot of the responses were fiery and even vituperative in some cases. Even though the topic has been generating a lot of traffic in the public space, I was prepared for the depth of feelings expressed by the responses I got.

Quite frankly I did not know that I had opened a pandorax box of pent up emotional feelings such that I was thankful that the case under appeal now had been shifted to October this year for hearing judgment.

This has somewhat doused down the tension that had gripped Plateau state for now. In a way too, this has provided an opportunity for and against the Federal High Court ruling on the case as well as well-meaning stakeholders in Plateau and beyond to engage in root and branch conflict resolution on the issue with communities in Jos North and Plateau state in general.

In the meantime I hereby present samples of the responses Ireceived for the reading public.

There is no land on earth that the inhabitants germinated from the ground or fell from the sky; people moved around discovering lands and establishing settlements. Plateau is not an exception. Moreso is mere created word and doesn’t represent the indigenous communities. I refer you to the same constitution you quoted from in your write up, read the section on fundamental rights of citizens and whether it also includes indigenous rights. Nobody, not even the judge who passed the judgment, can change citizenship rights to mean indigenous rights as you people have been supporting and I can assure you that this judgment and any subsequent ones like it can never be implemented. Let us wait for the outcome of the Court of Appeal and may be Supreme Court. I assure you the judgment is dead on arrival. Every Nigerian citizen can live and enjoy citizenship rights but NOT indigenous rights. 08036130733

I have gone through your write up on the Jos Indigeneship and the constitution. This Plateau problem is not new. If you could remember, as someone brought up in Jos the issue started since the late sixties and seventies during the regime of late Governor Gomwalk. We hope justice will prevail in the end because it is against the principle of both civil and natural justice to deny people whose forebears have been living in this place since before the coming of the colonialists, the right to indigeneship to the land they have lived and toiled for over a century. The Hausa inhabitants of Jos North have been suffering this injustice and the judgment though belated and long overdue is the right thing. 08036375358

Please permit me to add to validate and reinforce your last paragraph in your article with the aim of neutralising the false accusation on the Muslim North of Nigeria on the other tribes. Our family house was established by a Yoruba man from Ogbomosho after the British conquest of Sokoto in March, 1903. My family house is today 123 years old and in its 7th generation. We have been occupying executive and political offices in the state all the while including turbanning and traditional titles. The family house is popularly known as Gidan Mamman Tori, Kofar Atiku which is a stone throw from Hubbaren Shehu Usman Da Fodio (Tomb of Shehu Usman Dan Fodio) in the heart of Sokoto town. Our patriarch’s name was Aliyu but nicknamed Alun Yawo. By Sokoto tradition the name Aliyu is domesticated as Alu, hence the name Alun Yawo. This is a testimony to traction to your column 08036299966

When I first saw the topic of your discourse two things came to my mind. 1. You did not give us the contextual meaning of indigeneship as reference to ancestral communities. Which communities are ancestral to Plateau to determine who are indigenous and which of these ancestral communities that Akawu family belongs to. 2. During the emergency rule of 2004, a peace conference was organised to deal with the issue of indigenous groups. Hausa was not found to be one of the Plateau indigenous groups. The white paper is available. Why did they not challenge the outcome of the conference or were Akawus not in Jos? Hon. Suleiman Mohammed former Chairman Jos North LGC was one of the representatives of the Hausa community. In my humble opinion, the judge did not define what constitutes indigenous communities as enshrined in the constitution. If he had it would have helped us determined the indigenous community Fatima Akawu belonged to in Plateau state for purposes of enjoying such indigenous community’s rights. 08036137033.

I honestly do not see the reason for all the fuss about the issue. The learned judge, who incidentally is from Plateau State, relied on the provisions of the constitution for his judgment. In any case this sort of thing is happening in the Southwest and in parts of the Northwest. Late General Sani Abacha was by origin a Kanuri man but all his life he was accepted as a Kano indigene. Two former Governors of Kano state, Sabo Bakin Zuwo and Ibrahim Shekarau were by origin from Nupe and Babur, Niger and Borno states, respectively. So many prominent Lagos state personalities including President Bola Tinubu are known to have come from other states originally. The Akawu case has been blown out of proportion because she happens to be a Muslim. In Plateau State everything is given religious colouration. The Hausa community has been in Jos for centuries. They have been there long before Nigeria became a colony of Britain and contributed immensely to the founding and development of Jos to what it is today. But because of religion they have been consistently denied their fundamental and constitutional rights under the flimsy excuse that they are not indigenes. 07036847162

Troops of the 82 Division/Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected commander of a kidnapping syndicate in Enugu State.

The troops also recovered four AK-47 rifles, seven magazines and 133 rounds of ammunition from a forest hideout.

The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Lt. Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

He said the suspect was arrested during an intelligence-led operation in the Gariki General Area of Enugu, following efforts to dismantle a syndicate linked to the abduction of two persons in Udi LGA on August 2.

Ayeni said the operation followed an earlier encounter in which troops ‘neutralised one member of the syndicate and apprehended another.’

He said information obtained from the arrested suspect led to the identification and arrest of the fleeing commander.

‘Acting swiftly on the intelligence, troops intensified the manhunt, leading to the tracking, interception and arrest of the fleeing syndicate commander as he attempted to escape from Enugu State,’ the statement said.

The Army said preliminary investigations linked the suspect to several kidnapping activities across the South-East and North-Central regions.

It said US$1,000, N785,900 and other incriminating items were also recovered from him.

Further intelligence led troops to Umuchingu Ujenike Forest, where the syndicate allegedly concealed its weapons.

‘During the follow-up operation, troops successfully recovered four AK-47 rifles, seven AK-47 magazines and 133 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition from the forest hideout,’ the statement said.

The Army said the suspect was undergoing further interrogation to assist in apprehending other members and their collaborators.

It added that Operation UDO KA would continue working with other security agencies to sustain operations against criminal elements in the South-East.

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening security and promoting sustainable peace in Nigeria, as political and religious leaders called for an end to religious intolerance, hate speech and the manipulation of ethnic and religious identities.

The call was made at an international conference on national security for sustainable socio-economic development held in Abuja and attended by government officials, political leaders, religious scholars, traditional rulers, academics and other stakeholders.

Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, represented President Tinubu at the conference.

Speaking on behalf of the President, Barau said the conference was taking place at a time when countries across the world were facing multifaceted security challenges.

He said the President welcomed the opportunity for Nigeria to host the gathering and assured participants of the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening security and supporting efforts towards sustainable peace.

‘Mr. President is glad that this conference is coming at this period, that the conference is holding at this very important period when the world is being confronted with multifaceted security challenges,’ Barau said.

According to him, the Federal Government was working with other countries to address emerging security threats and strengthen mechanisms for peace and stability.

Barau said the government remained committed to preserving Nigeria’s unity despite its ethnic, religious and regional diversity.

He said the conference provided an opportunity for participants to examine emerging threats to national and regional security and share experiences on approaches to restoring sustainable peace at the regional, continental and global levels.

The Deputy Senate President commended the Muslim World League for choosing Nigeria to host the conference and Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) for collaborating on the event.

He expressed confidence that the deliberations would produce recommendations that could complement ongoing efforts to address insecurity.

Also speaking, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, urged Nigerians to reject religious intolerance, hate speech and the use of ethnic and religious identities for political purposes.

Yilwatda said Nigeria’s diversity should be seen as a source of strength rather than division, stressing that citizens of different faiths shared a common history and destiny.

He said the issue should not simply be whether Christians and Muslims could coexist, but also what kind of nation Nigerians were building through their relationships with one another.

‘For me, I came here into this conversation not as a new person to diversity. I’ve experienced the painful part of diversity, and I’ve experienced the beautiful part of the same diversity,’ he said.

The APC chairman recalled growing up in an interfaith environment, saying his father, a pastor, maintained a close relationship with a chief imam.

He said the two families visited one another and celebrated religious occasions together, an experience he said showed that religious differences did not have to lead to division.

‘Religious differences do not have to produce human distances and separation because of our beliefs,’ Yilwatda said.

He also recalled experiencing communal violence after his father was transferred to Bauchi in 1991.

According to him, his family lost its home and belongings during the crisis, while both Christians and Muslims were affected by displacement and destruction.

He said he spent months in an internally displaced persons’ environment, where hunger, fear and uncertainty affected people regardless of their religious identities.

‘We may worship differently, but we suffer together. We dream together. We can build together, and ultimately we can rise and fall together,’ he said.

Yilwatda identified terrorism, banditry, communal violence, ethnic suspicion, religious intolerance and hate speech as some of the challenges threatening Nigeria’s stability.

He urged Nigerians to reject attempts to use religion and ethnicity to deepen divisions, saying violence affected communities irrespective of their religious affiliations.

‘Let us build a Nigeria where a Christian can protect a Muslim, and a Muslim can defend a Christian, and every Nigerian can stand for the dignity of another Nigerian-not because we share the same faith or ethnicity, but because we share the same humanity,’ he said.

Drawing from his experience of displacement, Yilwatda called for a society where future generations would have access to schools, homes and opportunities rather than displacement camps and memories of violence.

‘Let’s choose peace over violence,’ he said.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, called on Nigerians to refrain from insulting one another on religious grounds and work towards rebuilding trust, peaceful coexistence and national unity.

The Sultan said Nigeria had ideas and solutions to many of its challenges but had faced difficulties in implementing agreements and recommendations reached at conferences and meetings.

‘We don’t lack solutions or problems. What we lack is implementation,’ he said.

He urged participants to ensure that the outcome of the conference translated into practical measures that could improve security and strengthen national cohesion.

The Sultan commended the Muslim World League and JIBWIS for organising the conference, saying platforms that bring Nigerians together to discuss national challenges were important.

He urged religious leaders to engage one another honestly and identify areas of common ground rather than attack governments or engage in excessive praise of political leaders.

The Sultan specifically called on Christians and Muslims to stop insulting one another, saying mutual respect was necessary for peaceful coexistence.

‘We must be honest with ourselves that Christians should stop insulting Muslims, Muslims should stop insulting Christians, and that’s how we live in peace,’ he said.

He recalled that Nigerians in previous generations lived together without regarding one religious group as superior to another, adding that piety, good character and the way people treated their neighbours should matter more than religious differences.

The Sultan also criticised the abuse of public figures on social media and urged Nigerians to avoid spreading false information or making malicious statements about political and religious leaders.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua, also warned against the use of religion, ethnicity and poverty to create division and conflict.

Omonokhua said humanity remained the fundamental bond among Nigerians, noting that people were first human beings before identifying with particular religions.

‘No one is created a Christian, and no one is created a Muslim. We are created as human beings. Hence, what binds us together is humanity,’ he said.

He noted that Nigeria’s major religious traditions included African traditional religion, Christianity and Islam, while highlighting the country’s interfaith structure.

According to him, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) provided platforms for Muslims and Christians to engage one another.

He said the two organisations came together in 1999 to establish NIREC as a platform for sustained interfaith dialogue.

Omonokhua said NIREC, co-chaired by the leaders of the NSCIA and CAN, had demonstrated that Christians and Muslims could work together peacefully.

He said religion should promote mercy, compassion and love rather than hostility or mere tolerance of people of other faiths.

Citing teachings from Christianity and Islam on the sanctity of human life, he said religious belief should strengthen respect for human dignity and the common good.

Omonokhua said NIREC remained non-partisan and focused on promoting human dignity, common welfare and peaceful relations among Nigerians.

He appealed to citizens and leaders to reject attempts to exploit religious, ethnic and economic grievances.

‘I would like to appeal very passionately that we should never, never, never allow anybody to weaponize religion or ethnicity or poverty to turn us against each other,’ he said.

Aviation unions, on Tuesday disrupted domestic flight operations in Lagos and Abuja, leaving passengers stranded at the affected airports.

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), under the leadership of the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC), shut down operations over alleged anti-union practices by domestic airlines and the non-remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) owed to aviation agencies.

The protest began at about 5am in Lagos, with the Zulu terminal gate at the Murtala Muhammed Airport reportedly under lock and key.

The action initially affected Air Peace, the country’s largest domestic airline, with passengers scheduled to travel on its flights left stranded at the airport.

An Air Peace flight scheduled to depart Lagos at 6:30am could not take off as passengers waited amid the disruption.

The development sparked frustration among passengers, some of whom lamented the uncertainty surrounding their travel plans.

One of the passengers who spoke to Daily Trust said the delay had disrupted his schedule, expressing concern that he could not tell when the flight would eventually depart.

Another passenger said she had arrived at the airport early for the 6:30am flight but was left stranded without clear information on when operations would resume.

Daily Trust reached out to a staff member of Air Peace, who confirmed the incident.

‘Yes, it’s true,’ the staff member said, but declined to provide the reason for the protest.

However, an operator familiar with the issue stated that the protest was intended to enforce Air Peace employees’ right to join the union.

The unions’ action followed a three-day notice of strike issued to domestic airlines after they had earlier warned on August 4 that they were prepared to commence industrial action ‘at any time without further notice.’

The unions said the latest action was taken after several weeks of giving affected airlines an opportunity to address their grievances.

According to the unions, some domestic airlines had allegedly made it difficult for their employees to freely join trade unions despite repeated efforts by the aviation unions to secure the right of workers to unionise.

They alleged that employees were afraid to openly express their intention to belong to unions of their choice because of fear of discrimination or victimisation.

The unions demanded that the affected airlines issue clear directives to their employees affirming their freedom to join unions of their choice without fear of victimisation.

They also accused domestic airlines of withholding the five per cent TSC already collected from passengers, saying the funds were meant to support the operations of aviation agencies.

The unions said the alleged non-remittance had affected the implementation of collective bargaining agreements negotiated on behalf of workers in the aviation agencies.

In a statement announcing the industrial action, the unions said they had ‘magnanimously issued a 3-day Notice of Strike’ to defaulting domestic airlines following the earlier picketing notice issued on August 4.

The unions listed the alleged obstruction of unionisation and non-remittance of the TSC among the major reasons for the action.

They said: ‘Making unfettered unionisation of staff in their organisation impossible after several efforts by the aviation unions. Their workers dare not even express the intention to belong to unions of their choices.’

On the TSC, the unions accused the airlines of withholding funds already collected, arguing that the development was undermining the operations of aviation agencies.

They warned that the situation was creating frustration among aviation workers and could have implications for safety.

‘This continues to breed disgruntled air transport workers; the implication of which is an accident in the waiting!’ the unions said.

The unions demanded an ‘unequivocal declaration’ through circulars and other direct means of communication to airline employees that they were free to join unions of their choice without fear of victimisation.

They also demanded the immediate remittance of what they described as the ‘seized operational funds’ of aviation agencies to enable the agencies to implement the conditions of service agreed with their workers.

Daily Trust reports that the dispute over the TSC has been escalating between aviation unions and domestic airlines, with the unions insisting that the five per cent charge is a statutory source of funding for aviation agencies.

The development also comes amid a wider disagreement between the unions and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) over the remittance of the charge.

Daily Trust, however, gathered that in response to the action, Air Peace also blocked runways in Lagos, effectively shutting down takeoff and landing by other airlines.

Commenting on the development, Air Peace, in a statement titled ‘Temporary Disruption of Flight Operations Following Ongoing Industrial Action at Airports,’ announced that its flight operations had been temporarily disrupted.

The airline said: ‘We wish to inform our esteemed passengers and the general flying public of temporary disruptions to our flight operations arising from the picketing of our airline and the ongoing industrial action by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

‘The ongoing industrial action has resulted in the barricading of the entrances to our departure terminals at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Alpha and Zulu Terminals) and Terminal 2 in Lagos, as well as the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal in Abuja.

‘The blockade has restricted access to these terminals, preventing the departure of scheduled flights from Lagos and Abuja. Consequently, passengers scheduled to travel across our network have been significantly affected by the disruption to flight operations.

‘Air Peace sincerely apologises to all affected and stranded passengers for the disruption and inconvenience caused by circumstances beyond the airline’s control.

‘Passengers scheduled to travel later today are being contacted and provided with relevant updates as the situation evolves.’

The Director-General of Civil Aviation appealed to the unions to sheathe their swords and exercise restraint pending the return of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, who has been actively working towards resolving the issues.

He said: ‘The matter would have been addressed at the meeting convened by the Honourable Minister last week, but the meeting could not hold as the airline operators failed to honor the invitation.

‘The NCAA assures the travelling public that flight safety remains uncompromised and that the Authority continues to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities.

‘We appeal to all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation. We are confident that the matter will be resolved shortly and normal flight operations will resume as soon as practicable.

‘The NCAA regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers and appreciates their patience and understanding.’

Efforts to reach Air Peace through its customer care line were unsuccessful, as calls to the line were not reachable at the time of filing this report.

The NLC and aviation unions’ protest consequently disrupted movement at the affected airports, with passengers awaiting further information on when normal flight operations would resume.