The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has terminated the concession of the tollgate of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to its concessionaire, Integrated Intelligent Imaging West Africa Limited, otherwise known as I-CUBE.

The General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, confirmed to The PUNCH that the agency had terminated the contract and had taken charge of the tollgate.

The termination of the contract is coming on the heels of a clash between the agency’s workers and I-CUBE on Tuesday.

Officers of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Air Force had earlier taken over the tollgate on Tuesday at the height of the clash.

The officers were deployed to restore peace to the area following disagreement between aviation unions in FAAN and the managers of I-CUBE over the tollgate contract agreement.

While the presence of the officials restored peace to the area, it also provided free access to motorists as the tollgate was left open for everyone to pass freely for some hours before FAAN took over.

Hundreds of FAAN workers had on Monday taken over the collection of tolls at the entrance of the MMIA, Lagos, alleging that I-CUBE’s contract with the agency had expired over a year ago.

The Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, National Union of Air Transport Employees, Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals and National Union of Pensioners dislodged the concessionaire and took over the facility at about 7am.

The Secretary General, Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, Abdulrasaq Saidu, told journalists that the management of the access gate was the sole responsibility of FAAN’s commercial department.

Saidu explained that the concession had not been reviewed for more than five years and described the situation as fraudulent.

The Executive Director of Integrated Intelligent Imaging West Africa, Mr Toluwaleke Abajingin, said the company was surprised at the development as it had been remitting money to the agency.

He also stated that the case was in court.

Punch