BREAKING NEWS!! Lagos Airport Shut Down As Flights Are Grounded, Passengers Stranded

Hundreds of passengers were on Wednesday stranded as protesting
members of the aviation unions shutdown operations at the Murtala
Muhammed Airport 2, operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services
Limited.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the unions embarked on
the protest alleging BASL’s sacking of 20 employees who indicated
interest to unionise.
The protesting unions are the National Union of Air Transport Employees
(NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria
(ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers
(NAAPE).
As early as 6am, the union members, who defied early morning
downpour, barricaded the entrance to the MMA2.
Their action came in spite of a court order restraining them from
embarking on the protest.
The unionists, who chanted various solidarity songs, accused BASL
management of violating extant labour laws by not recognising the
unions and preventing staff from joining unions in the sector.
They prevented passengers going to catch their early morning flights,
and also airline officials and people with businesses inside the terminal
from gaining access to the premises.
The protest also caused heavy vehicular traffic around the airport
environment, which spiraled to some parts of Ikeja and the Agege Motor
Road.
Airlines affected by the action include Arik Air, Medview Airline, Azman
Air, Max Air, Dana Air and Aero Contractors, which operate flights from
the terminal.
There was heavy presence of security operatives including the Police
and officers of the Nigeria Air Force in the area during the protest.
Mr Frances Akinjole, General Secretary, ATSSSAN, told NAN that the
unions were compelled to carry out the action following the refusal of
the BASL management to accede to their demands.
Akinjole said:
Akinjole denied knowledge of any court order restraining the unions from
carrying out the action, stressing that what they were doing had legal
backings.
Also, Mr Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary, NUATE, said the unions had
issued the notice of strike to the public to afford travelers the
opportunity of making alternative traveling arrangements.
Abioye urged the union members to remain calm and refuse any form of
provocation by security agencies deployed to quell the protest.
However, Bi-Courtney in a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr Steve
Omolale, said the company had obtained a court order from the Federal
High Court, Lagos, restraining the unions from shutting down Nigeria’s
only privately-owned terminal.
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”This issue started since May when these workers
were laid off for indicating interest to belong to
unions.
“We met the management asking them to reinstate
these workers and recognise their rights to join
unions but they refused.
“The regulator of the industry, the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority (NCAA) as well as aviation
security agencies have intervened in series of
meetings, but BASL management has refused to do
the needful to avert this crisis.”
“
”
“We will like to bring it to the attention of the
entire public that the Federal High Court in Lagos
in suit number FHC/L/CS/16412/18 has granted an
order restraining the unions from carrying out their
threats of disrupting the activities of the terminal.
“Pursuant to this order, members of the unions
found in the premises of MMA2 would be liable to
trespass.
“We reserve our right under the law of Nigeria to
deal with such person as a trespasser,” he said.
“