The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, on Wednesday said rehabilitation work on the damaged Lagos Airport Flyover has been completed and the bridge would be reopened to traffic this month.
Popoola told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the contractor, Phylo Nigeria Ltd., has completed rehabilitation work but Hi-Tech needs to do concrete pavement to link the bridge.
Hi-Tech is the sub contractor to Dangote Group handling the ongoing Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway rehabilitation/reconstruction project which links the Airport Bridge.
“The contractor has completed the work, it is just the approach to that Airport Bridge now which Hi-Tech will do the concrete work on.
“We could have opened it, but right in front of Ladipo Hi-Tech needs to go and do the pavement. I spoke with them this morning, they will soon go and do it.
“As for the burnt Airport Bridge, the contractor has already completed the work.
“When we do concrete work we give it maximum of 18 days to solidify before we open the road to the public. So, before the end of this month, the bridge will be opened,” he said.
NAN reports that the Airport flyover which runs over Toyota Bus Stop on the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway, under reconstruction/rehabilitation, was engulfed by a petrol tanker fire on Jan. 7.
The bridge deck and column and about 200 meters of the rigid pavement of the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway reconstruction project, being carried by the Dangote Group, were destroyed.
Following the incidence, the Federal government immediately shut the bridge linking the busy Lagos Airport on Jan. 8, carried out tests to determine its structural integrity leading to a contract award for its rehabilitation.
Speaking on the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway project, the controller said sections one, three and four of the project were each at 95 per cent completion.
Popoola said the contractor has been mobilised to site and has begun work on section two of the project which was recently awarded.
NAN reports that section one spans from Liverpool Round through Creek Road to Beachland near Sunrise and is about 10 kms, while section two is 8.4 km and spans from Beachland to Cele Bus Stop.
The project was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2018 to resolve Apapa gridlock and ease port congestion.
The contract was awarded to AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd. at the cost of N73bn under the Tax Credit Scheme of the Federal Government.
Also commenting on Eko Bridge, Popoola said the rehabilitation works being done in segments have achieved 65 per cent completion.
“Eko Bridge repair is progressing steadily, we are changing the remaining expansion joints towards Apongbon and we did not close the bridge but only diverted traffic, we did not close any lane.
“As I am speaking, we have achieved 65 per cent completion. So far, we have changed up to 16 expansion joints,” he said.

Accident Investigation Bureau Nigeria (AIB-N) has confirmed the incident in which King Air Jet ran into a fence at the General Aviation Terminal Apron of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Mr Tunji Oketumbi, the General Manager, Public Affairs of AIB on Saturday said the incident occurred around 9:35 am on Friday, involving a Beechcraft King Air B200 Jet with registration Marks 5N-IHS operated by JED Air Limited.

According to Oketunbi, “AIB can confirm that an incident involving a Beechcraft King Air B200 Jet with registration Marks 5N-IHS operated by JED Air Limited, occurred around 9:35 am on 21st August, 2020 beside Bristow Hangar 3 at GAT Apron, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos.

“The aircraft collided with the apron wall while taxing to reposition for ground run.

“The Bureau has taken the decision not to investigate the incident as there was no intention of flight. This is in line with the provisions of section 29 Civil Aviation Act 2006, Section 3 of Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accident Regulation 2019 and the guidance document of ICAO Annex 13.

“We recognise the safety issues involved but have taken steps to work with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority who will take lead in the investigation to prevent future occurrences,” he said.

Some domestic airlines on Wednesday resumed operations following three months of COVID-19 lockdown.

According to reports, few passengers were seen boarding, while social distancing and other precautionary measures were observed.

The Federal Government had directed the resumption of domestic flights on July 8, after the March 30 lockdown of the airlines.

As at 6.30 a.m. on Wednesday, Arik Air passengers had started boarding for the first flight from Lagos to Abuja, scheduled to depart at 7 a.m.

Passengers complied with the COVID-19 preventive screening measures before boarding, but stores within the airport were all locked.

A check by News Agency of Nigeria revealed that there had been a significant increase in airfares, as some airlines resumed operations (today) Wednesday.

The airlines raised their fares in all classes of tickets for one-hour flights from Lagos to Abuja.

Air Peace sold its Economy-Flexi Domestic plan for N33,001 for a one way Lagos-Abuja trip, while the business class ticket was sold for N80,000.

Arik Air’s economy plan was sold for N29,189, while the business class was N78,532 for a one-way Lagos to Abuja trip.

However, one of the airline official, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that prices of the tickets were driven by extra costs factored into the base fare.

The source said that taxes and other fares increased by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) was also responsible for the hike in fares.

Mr Adebanji Ola, the Public Relations and Communications Manager of Arik Air, commended government agencies for putting adequate measures in place for airlines to commence operations.

Ola said that Arik Air commenced three daily flight operations from Lagos to Abuja, in the first phase of the aviation restart.

According to him, it is a new beginning in the aviation sector and prays that the COVID-19 pandemic will be fully addressed in Nigeria.

He said that “for us in Arik Air, protection of passengers and cabin crew remain paramount and we have put effective measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“We commend government at all levels in ensuring effective synergy and support for the aviation sector toward combating the pandemic.”

Some of the passengers who spoke to NAN commended the measures put in place by government at the airport to prevent the infection of COVID-19.

Mr Kola Balogun, the Chairman of Momas Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company Limited, who was boarding to fly with Arik Air, commended the managment of FAAN on the preventive measures put in place at the aiport.

He said “I am highly impressed with the level of compliance and processes I am seeing here today.

“I commend FAAN for making lives more comfortable and sticking to the social distancing methodology.

“I urge the Federal Government to support the airlines’ operations through interventions for them to bounce back in business.”

Mr Tayo Ojulari, an aviation stakeholder, said that he did not subscribe to leaving the centre seats in the aircraft as directed by government.

“The cost of operations and FOREX is affecting airlines, reducing passengers capacity to 50 per cent, which is another economic implication for the airlines,” he said.

The Director of Aviation Security of the Federal Airports Authority of a Nigeria (FAAN), Retired Group Capt. Usman Sadiq, said that adequte security measures had been put in place at the airport.

Sadiq said government had also increased the security manpower at the aiport for effective measures.

“There is effective synergy between the various security agencies across airports in the country to tackle the numerous security breach incidents.

“All security agencies are on ground to ensure law and order at the airports, and today, we can see that Nigerians are well behaved from what was demonstrated,” he said.

He also expressed gratitude to the management team of FAAN for their support in carrying out their responsibilities.

He added that “I am excited to add that the highest level of the authority’s management, an enviable leadership, commitment and support, has been displayed again and again in an unequivocal manner.

“For this, we are grateful and rededicated to achieving the core mission of developing and profitably managing customer-oriented airport facilities for safe, secure and efficient carriage of passengers and goods at world- class standards of quality,” Sadiq said.

However, security personnel at the MM2 terminal refused NAN correspondent into the terminal, claiming it was a management directive.

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said that churches and mosques in the state might not be reopened soon for worshippers.

The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, said this on the sideline of the 2020 Ministerial Press Briefing commemorating the first year in office of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The Federal Government had on Monday, June 1, lifted the ban on mosques and churches in the country, based on guidelines and protocols agreed with state governments.

Elegushi said that the reopening of the worship centres was not possible soon, as the state was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.

”Even before the pronouncement by Federal Government, we have been having meetings with the religious leaders, we even had one with Safety Commission, looking at the possibility of reopening of religious houses.

”We also had one with the leaders of the two faiths and I want to tell you categorically that at that meeting, possibility of reopening religious houses was ruled out totally.

”They claimed that they cannot take such responsibility of ensuring that only 20 or 50 people are praying behind them.

”Like an Imam said, he doesn’t know what is going on at the back immediately he is leading a prayer. He said if more than 20 or 50 people are staying at his back he is not going to take responsibility for their presence.

”So, in the meeting, we ruled out in totality the issue of reopening the religious houses until we have a clear coast for us to do so.

”The Federal Government mentioned it, but it never ruled out the state in achieving that pronouncement, so all states will have to look at possibility of doing so in their respective states.

”We all know Lagos is still having more figures. So definitely that will speak to our decision,” he said.

The commissioner, however, said that the governor of the state would come out with further directives on the matter.

Passengers aboard a Port Harcourt-bound Azman Air flight were thrown into panic on Friday after a yet-to-be-identified man climbed the aircraft while it was about to take off at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja.

According to a viral video shot by one of the passengers in Lagos, the man illegally gained access to the airside with a hand luggage.

The video also showed that the man illegally climbed the aircraft wing and deposited the bag inside one of the engines.

The aircraft was at the holding bay expecting clearance for take-off when the incident occurred.

The action caused panic and frenzy as some of the passengers immediately demanded the pilot and cabin crew to open the aircraft doors for them to disembark due to safety concerns.

Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who confirmed the development to newsmen said the man had been arrested.

According to her, the stowaway was arrested by Aviation Security Personnel and was taken to Tango City, a FAAN security unit domiciled at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

Also, the spokesperson for the Lagos Airport Police Command, DSP Joseph Alabi, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Alabi, however, said that the case had not been transferred to the Command from Tango City, adding that further information would be released in due course.

A reliable source, however, told NAN that the individual, upon arrest, claimed he wanted to travel to Ghana but refused to disclose how he managed to gain access to the restricted airside.