NSA, Ministers, Others Strategise Over Extortion At International Airports 

The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has rallied Ministers and relevant heads of the Federal Government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies to tackle extortion and touting at the country’s international airports.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), made this known on Sunday.

Keyamo in a statement on his X handle said he has been bombarded with several complaints by airport users recently.

He said: “I have received several complaints about the menace of begging and extortion at our International airports by a few unscrupulous persons who give all of us a bad image.

“My phones are beeping every minute with messages about this from well-meaning Nigerians.”

Keyamo, however, said that it has been difficult for him to do so much about the complaints.

He said this was because most of the complaints centred around officials of MDAs that are not under his purview.

He said: “Just to set the records straight, most of the agencies involved in this menace are not under the control of the Aviation Ministry, though they are stationed at our airports.

“However, I have been working closely with other Ministers, arms of government and agencies who are responsible for these agencies and a solution is in sight soon.

“We are all working under the coordination of the National Security Adviser who called a meeting a few days ago on this issue and we shall soon unveil practical steps being taken to stem this ugly tide.

“We thank Nigerians for their eternal vigilance on this issue.”