The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has reported that the fire incident at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on Monday, damaged its air-to-ground communication equipment.
Managing Director of NAMA, Farouk Umar, made this known on Wednesday, February 25, during a tour of the facility to assess the damage caused by the fire.
Umar said while the damage was extensive, air traffic services remained safe and operational as backup systems were immediately deployed to sustain operations.
The Fire incident at the Old Terminal of MMIA, Lagos, on Monday reportedly originated from a server room on the first floor.
Six people injured (three male, three female) are reportedly in stable condition, while 14 people initially trapped in the control tower were safely rescued.
“The fire has affected our air-to-ground communication completely,” Umar stated while speaking to newsmen, after assessing damages to the facility.
“What you see on the ground to sustain air traffic service is the backup that we moved from other places to sustain Lagos,” he added, lamenting that NAMA has a lot of work to do in restoring damaged facilities at the airport.
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“What we saw actually was a huge loss as far as communication is concerned.”
He said air traffic services were initially disrupted, leading to the suspension of all inbound flights.
He, however, expressed delight that the communication and air control remain uninterrupted, as the agency’s competent professionals were on ground to address the emergency situation from their end.
He also expressed joy that no life was lost in the incident and assured Nigerians and the flying public that the Nigerian airspace still remains safe.
“I am happy that no life was lost, and what we are trying to do now is to improve on what we have done so far. I want to assure Nigerians that the air-to-ground communications will remain uninterrupted,” Umar stated.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in mass communication.
