Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, has highlighted the pressing issue of touts operating at the country’s international airports, describing them as a major embarrassment to the nation.
Speaking at the Ministerial Sectoral Press Briefings, Keyamo identified two distinct types of touts causing trouble: those inside the airports and those outside.
“There are two types of touts at the airports: the official touts and non-official touts. That’s the truth,” Keyamo stated.
He elaborated on the nature of the problem, emphasising that the touts within the airports, often in uniform, are particularly problematic.
These individuals, he explained, are known to engage in inappropriate behaviour, such as demanding money and rummaging through passengers’ bags.
“You meet touts outside and inside the airport. you meet touts in uniforms, who dip hands into bags, ask for money. In many cases, we’ve seen disgraceful videos on social media,” Keyamo noted.
He acknowledged that while addressing this issue might not fall directly under his ministry’s purview, it remains a significant concern.
He revealed ongoing collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Interior and the National Security Adviser to tackle the problem.
Keyamo proposed a reduction in human contact at the airports as a potential solution, suggesting that agencies operating within the airports should conduct their activities from behind glass barriers.
“We may have to present a joint memo very soon to try and reduce human contact at the airports. All of those agencies should be behind glass doors somewhere. They cannot all be seen embarrassing our country,” he asserted.
In addressing the issue of touts outside the airports, Keyamo highlighted the need for additional support from armed security forces, noting that these external touts often pose a physical threat.
“For the touts outside, we are asking for backup because, FAAN, they don’t carry arms. Some of these boys [touts outside] are armed.
“So we’re trying to call for help from normal security agencies to see how they can cooperate with us to purge them out of the airports,” he said.
Keyamo assured travellers that comprehensive measures are being planned to address these issues effectively.
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