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From Uche Usim, Abuja
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja is officially shut for six weeks.
The closure took effect 12:00am today, according to Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, at a press briefing in Abuja, yesterday.
Only Ethiopian Airlines, out of over 25 international airlines that fly into Nigeria, has agreed to fly into Kaduna Airport, the alternate terminal.
This means Abuja-boundpassengers would have to land either in Lagos, Port Harcourt or Kano (depending on the carrier) and then, connect the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) via road, rail or flight.
Sirika also said the Federal Government is meeting with Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, to rescind shunning of Kaduna airport.
“We have calibrated the landing systems in Kaduna. All the open items spotted by international airlines have been closed. We have a mobile control tower in Kaduna. We have a good runway there. The terminal building and VIP lounge are almost ready. We have provided free buses and rail transport for passengers to and from Kaduna. We are good to go with regards to airport logistics,” he said.
Sirika, who briefed the media in company with Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, further revealed that the Abuja runway reconstruction will gulp well over N5 billion but assured that “the six-week closure would not be exceeded” and urged “the public to see the inconveniences as temporary.”
On his part, Idris said security arrangements have been perfected to guarantee safety and security of travelers.
The IGP also assured that other parts of the country would not be starved of policemen.
“We’re set for the closure. We’ve all our men drawn from various units. We’ll give the necessary cover for this operation. We only urge Nigerians to cooperate with us,” he said.
