More than N20 billion investments will be lost in the aviation industry as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is set to pull down buildings belonging to the Accident Investigation Bureau – Nigeria (AIB-N), Caverton and ExecuJet hangars at international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
Also to be affected by the demolition are Dominion, Evergreen Apple Nigeria as well as office complexes of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Federal Road Service Corps (FRSC) and towing companies close to the AIB-N regional headquarters.
They are said to be on the path of the new terminal constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC).
It was gathered that FAAN had issued a two-week ultimatum to the affected agencies and private firms to relocate.
It also said no compensation would be paid to the affected organisations; instead, they would be given land to rebuild their offices.
In the event of carrying out the demolition, analyst said not less than N20 billion investments would go down the drain.
The regional headquarters of AIB-N, which used to be its headquarters until mid-2020 when the bureau and other sister agencies were compelled to relocate their headquarters to Abuja, houses its office complex, command and control centre, office of investigators and information communication technology departments.
Others are training centre, mini flight safety laboratory, which is used for downloading of flight recorders otherwise known as black boxes and investigators’ stores among others.
Apart from the cost of the land, it was gathered that AIB-N’s facilities alone at the Lagos office is worth over N5 billion.
A chunk of the facilities was installed less than four years ago by the current management led by the commissioner, Mr. Akin Olateru.
It was learnt that the reason for the evacuation and subsequent demolition of the offices within the airport is connected with the ongoing construction of a terminal building.
The agency had previously argued that AIB-N and other companies were obstructing further expansion of the new terminal, but stakeholders have always argued that the new terminal was wrongly placed, while the owners of the structures received valid and approved papers from the appropriate authorities before building their offices at the present locations.
Spokesperson for FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, who confirmed the relocation order issued to the organisations, said the agency would give the affected organisations a new land within the airport environment to build their offices.
She said the companies are on the path of the new terminal.
However, she denied that FAAN had issued them two weeks to relocate.
“There is no timeframe on their relocation, but they have been told to make plans to relocate. You know they can’t relocate within two weeks. The new terminal will definitely be opened to the public very soon and it will be connected to the old terminal,” she said.
