In the early hours of Saturday, 26th March, 2022, bandits invaded the Kaduna International Airport for twelve hours. During the attack, no aircraft was allowed to fly out or land at the airport. Northern Bureau Chief, MUHAMMAD SABIU, writes on the events surrounding the incident, ongoing efforts by the security agencies to secure the terrain, and worry expressed by residents of Afaka, an adjoining community to the airport.
Throughout last week, Kaduna has been in the news. Bandits recently attacked Kagoro in the southern part of the state and killed over 30 residents. As part of the government’s immediate reaction, a curfew was imposed on two local government areas in order to prevent the breakdown of law and order.
Twenty hours after the attack, bandits struck at Giwa and killed over 50 people, while tens of cows were stolen. On 26th March, bandits struck again. But this time, it was on a federal government facility – the Kaduna International Airport. During the attack, no aircraft was allowed to fly or land in the airport, bringing to mind the attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in August 2021.
The attack
Some workers at the airport, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on the condition of anonymity, gave details of the attack. According to one of them, over 200 bandits stormed the Kaduna International Airport and killed a security personnel of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency(NAMA).
He said: “From our office, we could hear the sound of motorcycles and the bandits and they were heavily armed on motorcycles.
“From where we were hiding,we could hear their discussion in Hausa as they said ‘zamu rufe airport ba jirgi da zai tashi’, meaning ‘we will shut down this airport; no aircraft will fly in and out’.
“The bandits who stormed the runway were over 200 and the attack started around 12 am on Saturday.”
How soldiers repelled attack
An airport worker, who identified himself as Ibrahim,said a distress call was made to the Nigerian Defence Academy(NDA) which was a few kilometres away.
“Soldiers responded to the attack and were able to repel them that midnight and we thought that was all. In fact, our staff resumed work this morning as usual. They worked around the runway 5am till around 12pm.
“Then, shortly after that, some NAMA staff went to check some of their equipment and these bandits appeared and started shooting again.
“The NAMA engineers fled for their safety. They could not even enter the vehicle that they took to the site. It was in the process that the security man was shot in the head.The security man was rushed to the hospital and he was confirmed dead.
It was however gathered that many of the workers later fled the airport, while more military personnel have been deployed to the airport for a clearance operation.
Speaking on the incident in a statement, the Kaduna Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, also confirmed the presence of military operatives at the airport.
El-Rufai commends military for repelling attack
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, commended the security forces for their prompt response and for repelling the attackers.
He stated this in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Internal security and Home Affairs. The Governor, however, expressed his sadness at the report of the casualty, and sent condolences to the family of the victim, just as he offered prayers for the repose of his soul.
Flights resume
Aruwan also said airport operations resumed with scheduled flights departing after the incident.
In another statement,the management of Azman Air confirmed that its aircraft was delayed, but for 44 minutes,after which the plane left the airport.
It said:“Azman Air Aircraft 5N-HAI touched down at the Kaduna Airport around 12:36pm and the boarding of Lagos passengers was completed around 1:04pm during which cockpit crew requested for permission to depart.
“However, the control tower offered safety advice to hold on departure due to security threats. Later, the control tower cleared the crew to proceed accordingly. The aircraft was stamped airbone at exactly 1:48pm.”
FAAN reacts
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), in its reaction to the incident, said two motorcycles belonging to the bandits were recovered from the scene. FAAN also confirmed that an airport worker was killed.
In a statement issued by Mrs Faithful Hope-Ivbaze,acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN said: “The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) regrets to state that a group of bandits attacked the Runway 05 axis of Kaduna airport earlier in the day(Saturday).
“However, a combined team of anti-banditry military personnel and crime investigation unit of FAAN Aviation Security Department swiftly intervened for rescue operation,with one casualty reported in the incident.
“Normalcy has since been restored at the airport. The team also recovered two motorbikes abandoned by the bandits.
“Additionally, heavy reinforcement team from the Nigerian Defence Academy is on ground to ensure safety and security of airport workers/users.
“The FAAN AVSEC Department has equally released operational vehicles to the team for patrol purposes.
“The Authority uses this opportunity to sympathise with the family and friends of the victim of this unfortunate incident.”
‘Security architecture of airport needs to be reviewed’
Residents living around the airport axis in Afaka have expressed concern over the “daring” nature of the attack. their dismay over the consistent security breach in the area. A community leader, who pleaded for anonymity,said: “One expects that after the attack, the military will take proactive steps to contend any aggression.”
Also commenting on the attack on the airport, a retired Nigerian Air Force personnel, Aliyu Haruna,advised the federal government to take steps on reviewing the security setup for optimal results.
Another resident, Ibrahim Wuyo, said: “Our major worry is that these bandits may be acting with the collaboration of enemies of the state. How were they able to get the fuel and other logistics to move about 200 hoodlums from their hideout to Kaduna Airport?
“Why can’t such a massive movement be detected early enough and repelled before they could even reach Runaway 05?If they could attack the airport in less than 24 hours, that means they are not staying and regrouping far away from the airport. What then is the use of our unmanned surveillance drones, our Super Tucano jets, etc?”
“Where are our jungle experts in the army? What is the use of our armour battalion and the war vehicles being assembled near Rigachikun Kaduna? If journalists could be able to visit these hoodlums and conduct interviews with them, why can’t the DSS and other sister organisations infiltrate them through undercover operations and strategy with a view to breaking the nucleus of these rag tag armies?
“Why must it always be defensive operations and not chasing these bandits to their dens and neutralising them?”
Another resident, Ahmed Tafida, however, had a different opinion.
He said: “If there is a foreign airline, they will declare Kaduna a war zone and prevent their planes from being in Kaduna, and where there is a need to come, the cost will be prohibitive because of insurance of people and materials.”
Afaka and the bandit route
The community leader also called for more efforts to improve security in the area.
He said: “More than ever before, there is the need to establish a military operational facility in the area where all the security arms will be present for monitoring activities. This is necessary in view of the security challenge facing the community.
“From last year to date, there have been attacks on government facilities. First, the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation was attacked where over 40 students were kidnapped. Secondly, the Nigerian Defence Academy was attacked and now the airport.
“In fact, the airport has been attacked two times. The first was last year and about 10 people were kidnapped. Now, the airport Runaway 05 was attacked this Saturday.
“The routes for bandits are visible and our people living in the community know this; even the security operatives know the routes.”
Bandits didn’t shut down Kaduna Airport; we killed 12 of them—Military
Meanwhile, the military authorities have cleared the air on the reported attack on the airport by bandits.
According to the military, the incident took place six kilometers away from the terminal and outside the airport parameter fence. Also the military said they killed 12 of the bandits who were immediately given a hot chase through air strike.
This was disclosed on Monday afternoon when Kaduna State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, Garrison Command 1 Division Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Uriah Opuene and Air Force Base Commander, Air Commodore Ademuyiwa Adedoyin led journalists on an assessment tour of the attack scene.
Briefing journalists at the scene of the attack, Opuene said the Kaduna International Airport is very secured, adding that there are several layers of security at the airport and that bandits could not have dared to attack it.
According to him, preliminary investigations have revealed that the bandits were just passing through the back of the airport towards Riyawa village, when they sighted the security man engaged by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to watch over their meterological equipment around the axis.
“As you can see, this place is about six kilometers away from the Airport terminal. The bandits were only passing behind the airport parameter fence when they saw the security man engaged by NAMA and they fired at him. They just took advantage of that to pass a message that they have attacked the airport.
“There are several layers of security at the airport, this is the first layer and even this first layer was not breached, because from the moment of hearing that shot, it took our men just about three minutes to get here from the next layer of security.
“On arrival, the bandits were already running away, so we engaged them through the use of ground forces. Then we called for air strike and an helicopter was deployed and from the air report, about 12 of the bandits were killed. So as you can see from the distance; the insinuation outside that the terrorists took over the airport is not correct. If the terrorists had entered, they would have met us there,” he said.
Also speaking, the NAF Base Commander, Air Commodore Adedoyin said security around the airport general area has been beefed up since the security of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) was breached last year, adding that bandits do not have the audacity to attack Kaduna Airport.
The Security Commissioner while assuring that the airport is safe and secured, said the state government was engaging citizens in communities around the airport to scale up intelligence gathering. He re-emphasised that there was no threat to the immediate vicinity of the airport.
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