Unknown persons have reportedly stolen recently reinstalled Airfield Lighting Systems from the domestic runway 18/36L of Murtala Muhammad Airport, raising security concerns at Nigeria's busiest airports.

According to anonymous sources, the thieves took advantage of the runway's closure for over three months and allegedly had assistance from some workers at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

The source confirmed the extent of the Theft, stating, “Almost all the lighting was removed. A lot of FAAN officials have been suspended.”

In response to the incident, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Dr Emmanuel Meribole, has directed the suspension of heads of relevant departments at FAAN. Investigations have commenced to identify those responsible for the theft.

The theft of safety components at airports is suspected to be carried out by a syndicate involving workers with access to restricted areas and external accomplices.

FAAN's Managing Director, Mr Kabir Yusuf, expressed dissatisfaction with the situation and ordered the suspension of security personnel responsible for safeguarding critical airport facilities.

Aviation expert Group Capt. John Ojikutu (retd.) highlighted that similar incidents occurred in the past and were likely perpetrated by insiders. He suggested stricter security measures, recalling his successful intervention in the 1990s when soldiers were stationed on runways to prevent unauthorized access.

FAAN's Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr Yakubu Funtua, assured that investigations were underway and emphasized the agency's commitment to preventing future occurrences.

The theft comes after 15 years of the domestic runway 18L closure to night operations, which led to increased fuel consumption for domestic airlines using the international runway. The airfield lighting systems were installed in November 2022 to facilitate night operations at the domestic airport.