The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has directed the immediate removal of a company accused of unlawfully imposing parking penalties on motorists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The directive followed a complaint alleging irregularities in the enforcement of parking and pick-up regulations at the airport.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, disclosed the development in a post on X, saying the complaint was brought to the attention of the agency’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku.
According to Achimugu, Kuku ordered the company’s immediate exit from the Abuja airport after the complaint was escalated to her.
He said the FAAN management had consistently maintained that appropriate measures would be taken whenever there was credible evidence of unlawful activities, particularly those affecting the convenience of airport users.
Achimugu added that discussions were already ongoing on the appointment of another company to take over the responsibilities previously handled by the firm.
He also urged motorists using the airport to obey designated parking, pick-up and traffic guidelines to avoid violations.
The FAAN spokesperson commended Kuku for her prompt intervention, saying the issue had generated significant concern among airport users.
The controversy began after an individual identified as Ogundipe, Esq., raised questions about the manner in which parking and pick-up restrictions were being enforced at the airport.
Ogundipe alleged that vehicles were being clamped by personnel enforcing the restrictions, including vehicles whose owners had reportedly stopped briefly, such as to make phone calls.
He claimed that affected motorists were subsequently informed that they had breached airport regulations and were required to pay a N25,000 penalty to secure the release of their vehicles.
He further alleged that motorists seeking information on how to make the payment were sometimes directed to point-of-sale operators instead of an official payment platform.
According to the complaint, some motorists were allegedly given personal bank account details for payment of the N25,000 penalty, rather than an account officially designated for the collection of airport-related charges.
Ogundipe also claimed that motorists who attempted to use payment details displayed at the enforcement office were warned that their vehicles might not be released immediately until the transaction was confirmed.
The allegations raised questions about the transparency of the enforcement and payment procedures at the airport, prompting the matter to be brought before FAAN management.
Following the complaint, the airport authority ordered the immediate removal of the company involved while considering a replacement to oversee the affected operations.
