BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Airport Police Command has intensified its crackdown on criminal activities within Nigeria’s aviation space, arraigning fourteen suspects arrested for stealing construction materials at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The suspects were apprehended on April 20, 2026, between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at Terminal 1, which is currently undergoing renovation.
Their arrest followed a targeted operation by the Joint Monitoring Task Force (JMTF), a collaborative security outfit comprising personnel of the Airport Police Command and other key agencies, during a routine patrol heightened by recent intelligence.
Authorities disclosed that the operation was triggered by repeated complaints from project managers handling the terminal upgrade, who had reported persistent disappearance of critical building materials within the construction zone. In response, security around the facility was significantly reinforced, with increased surveillance and coordinated patrols.
On the evening of the incident, actionable intelligence indicated the presence of unauthorised individuals within the restricted area.
Security operatives swiftly mobilised to the site, where they apprehended fourteen suspects found in possession of high-value items, including copper cables, iron fittings, and other construction materials.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly gained access to the facility by posing as construction workers, thereby breaching established access control protocols and exploiting gaps within the busy project environment.
The suspects, identified as Muhammed Sadiq, Aliu Umaru, Nuhu Muhammed, Adam Muhammed, Husaini Garuba, Suleman Umaru, Muhammed Musa, Ali Ali, Haruna Adamu, Umaru Musa, Henry Kumasen, Aliu Umaru, Idris Umaru, and Bakura Mustapha, were subsequently charged before the Magistrate Court for Special Offences in Oshodi on April 21, 2026.
At the hearing, thirteen of the defendants pleaded guilty and were convicted, receiving sentences of one year and seven months’ imprisonment.
The remaining suspect pleaded not guilty and has been remanded in custody, with the case adjourned to June 16, 2026.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, commended the Joint Monitoring Task Force for its vigilance and swift response, noting that the successful operation underscores the Command’s zero-tolerance approach to criminality within the aviation sector.
She reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to sustained collaboration with aviation authorities and other security stakeholders to safeguard infrastructure, protect ongoing projects, and ensure the integrity of airport operations.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
