The international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos was thrown into confusion on Monday as security officials arrested a disabled young man suspected to be a bomber.
He was allegedly found with improvised explosive devices as he attempted to gain entrance into a facility near Centrex unit of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency ( NAMA).
According to sources, the disabled young man was reportedly moving suspiciously along the airport road leading to the international wing of the airport, when private security officials on guard arrested him and upon interrogation, the suspect was found with alleged improvised explosive device.
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has clarified that a suspected suicide bomber was arrested at one of the agency’s facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Monday.
In statement, the general manager public affairs NAMA, Supo Atobatele said that ”The basic truth however, is that the said suspect was on the ground making phone calls along the airport road close to CENTREX, an annex office of NAMA when the agency’s security personnel accosted him of his presence.
”His incoherent explanation exposed him to the security personnel who later found on him with some devices suspected to be explosives. He was subsequently handed over to the Airport Police Command for further investigation.
The managing director, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam in a reaction commended the security personnel for their vigilance and prompt arrest of the suspect.
A source said the suspect was subsequently moved to the headquarters of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, at Beesam junction along the Airport Road where he is still under interrogation.
A source close to the police said the device found on him are wired cables, which could be converted into explosives.
Officials of the Explosive Ordinance Department of the Nigeria Police are still examining the devices found on the young man, which has been allegedly diffused.
An eyewitness said the alleged explosive device was hung on the neck of the suspect around the airport which attracted passers by including staff of aviation agencies.
Sequel to the arrest of the suspected bomber, security has been beefed up around both the domestic and international terminals of the Lagos Airport.
Many workers, contractors and others that passed through the main entrance into the headquarters of the Federal
Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN), NAMA and other offices were subjected to intensive search.
Workers of aviation agencies gathered in groups to discuss the implication of the threat to security around the airport.
At the Beesam junction headquarters of the police command, detectives, intelligence personnel and anti bomb specialists were on hand to carry out intense interrogation on the suspect.
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