Atiku’s claim of intimidation, mischievous attempt to grab headlines -FG

Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika has described Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar’s claim of intimidation on arrival at Airport as a “mischievous attempt to grab the headlines.”

Sirika made it clear that the checks on Atiku and his entourage was a routine exercise that wasn’t exclusive to the former Vice President adding, ““While it is true that the Task Force on Currency at the airport did the routine action of checking the former Vice President’s travel bag, he was accorded full respect as a senior citizen.”

Read full statement from the Aviation Minister 

This is a mischievous attempt to grab the headlines. Nigerians need to know that one of the resolutions of the Atiku team at their recently-concluded, opulently-held Dubai retreat was to embark on scaremongering. This is one of such.

For the records, all incoming passengers on international flights go through customs, Immìgration, health and security screening.

Where the aircraft is using the private, charter wing, as the PDP Candidate did, such arrivals are met by a team of the Immìgration, customs and other security agencies. They go to the arriving aircraft as a team. The airport authorities confirm that this is a routine process, applying to all international arrivals, including the minister unless the passenger is the President of Nigeria. The President, the Vice President and passengers aboard planes on the Presidential air fleet use the Presidential wing of the airport.

It is also important to state that even in the Presidential Wing of the airport the President of Nigeria uses, there is the presence of Immìgration and other security officials who must stamp his or her passport on arrival.

By standard procedure, all aircraft on international arrivals must first of all park at the international wing of the aircraft. They can move to the domestic terminal only upon the completion of the arrival processes.

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