The Airport Police Command has intercepted a 14-year-old stowaway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on Monday.
The police explained that the minor was discovered on the airport tarmac while attempting to unlawfully gain access beneath an aircraft, an act which the Command said constituted a serious breach of aviation security protocols within a highly sensitive operational environment.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Adeola, disclosed that preliminary findings indicated that the juvenile unlawfully entered a restricted area of the airport without authorisation, contrary to Sections 2 and 3 of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) byelaws, and engaged in actions consistent with a stowaway attempt.
“Upon interception, the minor was taken into protective custody in line with due process and established child protection procedures. His parents were promptly notified, and all necessary protocols were observed, including the conduct of the interview process in the presence of his parents.
“The Command also ensured that the minor was provided with appropriate care, support, and welfare considerations throughout the process.
The Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, Mnips, PhD, reiterated the Command’s unshaken resolve to safeguard the nation’s aviation infrastructure, describing the airport as a critical national asset that requires strict adherence to security regulations at all times,” Adeola stated.
While noting that due process would be strictly followed, the PPRO said that CP Ogunbode urged parents and guardians to exercise greater vigilance over their children and wards, particularly in relation to movements around restricted and high-risk environments such as airports.
He, however, said that the case would be handled in accordance with applicable juvenile justice procedures, and the minor would be charged before the appropriate juvenile court. (Channels)
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