An investigation is underway in a case where runway lights went missing at Murtala Muhammad Airport in Lagos, Nigeria.
It is suspected that thieves may have removed the lights of the recently installed lighting system from runway 18/36L of the airport. According to reports, the stolen runway lights were installed in November last year and the runway is said to be used by domestic carriers. Local media in Nigeria reported that the theft caused massive flight disruptions as domestic carriers used the international runways and taxi cabs to get back to their terminal which is at least four kilometres away.
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Runway lights are important as they enable pilots to land safely and take off effectively at night and in conditions where there is low visibility such as when there is mist.
An official at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Yakubu Funtua said in a statement to the BBC, that the organisation has launched an investigation into the case and the suspects will be apprehended. Although the investigation is still underway, several media organisations in Nigeria have reported that some airport workers may have been involved in the theft. A former Military Commander at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport also claimed that the crime was being carried out by insiders who resale the lights to the authority.
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The act has been condemned by top leaders in Nigeria with Zenith Travel Consult, Olumide Ohunayo saying that it should be handled as a case of terrorism and also calling for review of FAAN.
