Nigerian Govt launches ‘Operation Air Clean’ to tackle harassment, corruption at airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has introduced sweeping measures in a bid to curb the menace of harassment of travelers by government agencies at international airports.

This move was approved by Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation, who made an X post on Thursday regarding the issues.

Keyamo, who acknowledged the numerous complaints received by the government, posted, “Yesterday, I approved some far-reaching measures by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) aimed at curbing the menace of harassment of travelers by various agencies of government stationed at our international airports. We have received too many complaints and it is time to act decisively!”

The new measures include the dismantling of joint inspection tables and the launch of “Operation Air Clean,” a task force aimed at eliminating touting, harassment, and extortion at airports.

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Earlier on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ meeting, FAAN’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, emphasized the need for collaboration among agencies and the leveraging of technology to reduce manual searches and improve interactions with passengers.

Kuku said that the meeting was aimed to strengthen collaboration among agencies, streamline passenger search processes, and enhance the overall travel experience, while completely eliminating extortion, harassment, and touting activities.

She ordered the immediate dismantling of search tables at screening points and mandated that technology be leveraged to reduce manual searches and improve interactions with passengers.

To ensure the effectiveness of these measures, FAAN will deploy mystery shoppers equipped with body cameras to assess the performance of officials at security and screening areas. Additionally, magistrate courts will be established at international airports to expedite the prosecution of offenders.

The government’s decisive action is a welcome relief for travelers who have long suffered at the hands of corrupt officials and touts. With these measures in place, Nigeria’s international airports are poised to become safer, more efficient, and more welcoming to travelers.

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