Osita Chidoka, Aviation Minister, yesterday stated that the ministry has arrested three Arik Air staff for siphoning fuel from an aircraft.
Mr. Chidoka stated this on his official Facebook page that the trio of Samuel Asuquo, Blessing Dugbe and Isaac Ajakaiye were caught at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, during a night security patrol operation on Sunday.
Mr. Chidoka further said the trio were siphoning Jet A1 fuel from Arik Air plane, with registration number: 5N-MID into 6 jerry cans for sales at cheaper price to other unsuspecting airline operators.
“A negative development that has capacity, to threaten safety and security of airplanes. Meanwhile, the three (3) suspects have been handed over to the Crime Investigation Bureau (CIB), AVSEC MMIA for further action,” Mr. Chidoka mentioned.
Mr Chidoka mentioned that in the aviation industry’s fight against corruption and security breaches, other chief security officers and heads of aviation security have been notified and given directives to intensify patrol and surveillance operations at various airports across Nigeria.
He said considering the weight of the crime to the security and safety of airplanes, the chief security officer of the Lagos airport has been directed to make sure that the suspects are handed over to the airport police for adequate prosecution.
This type of incident is not the first time that Arik staff are accused of theft. Passengers have most times lamented the loss of one item or the other aboard the airline’s flights.
A renowned Nigerian blogger, Japhet Omojuwa, once pointed finger at the airline’s flight attendants of stealing his iPad aboard one of its aircrafts.
Arik airline is yet to release a statement on this latest incident.
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