Asowata Omosuri

News Agency Of Nigeria

<h1>A Nigerian passenger on Delta Air Lines Flight DL54 travelling from Atlanta, United States to Lagos was on Monday afternoon found unresponsive before landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.</h1>

The 54-year-old passenger (name withheld), who was ill before boarding the flight, died three minutes before the aircraft touched down at the airport.

The spokesperson for the MMIA Police Command, Lagos, DSP Joseph Alabi, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Alabi said the command was notified of the development after the aircraft landed at the airport by the airline officials.

Also, Delta Air Lines in a statement issued by its media consultant, Mr Mohammed Abdullahi, confirmed the development.

”A passenger on Delta Flight DL54 travelling from Atlanta to Lagos today (March 11), was found unresponsive before landing.

”Local medical professionals met the plane upon arrival and confirmed the passenger had sadly passed away.

”Delta extends its deepest condolences to the family at this sad time. As a matter of passenger privacy, Delta will not release additional information,” the airline said.

Nigerian passenger dies on Delta Air Lines Atlanta-Lagos flight/sunnewsonline

The spokesperson for the MMIA Police Command, Lagos, DSP Joseph Alabi, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Nigerian passenger dies on Delta Air Lines Atlanta-Lagos flight

<h1>No fewer than 14,171,722 air travelers went through Nigeria Airports in 2018, according to figures released on Tuesday in Lagos by the Consumer Protection Directorate of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).</h1>

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the figure represents 20.8 per cent increase, compared to the 11,221,608 passengers recorded between January and December 2017.

According to the document, the 34 airlines on the international routes operate 15,645 flights and flew 4, 079, 0789 passengers during the period under review.

The nine domestic airlines operated a total of 59,818 flights and air lifted 10, 092,648 passengers across the country, it added.

NCAA said that airlines on the domestic routes accounted for 72 per cent of the passenger traffic while the international route recorded 28 per cent.

Commenting on the development, the General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, said government was working hard to sustain the tempo by the construction of new international terminal buildings.

Adurogboye noted that government had, within the last few months, inaugurated new international terminals at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

According to him, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has also promised that the construction of similar projects at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano will soon be completed.

He said:” We are hoping and working harder to ensure that there is more movement of passengers.

“By the time that new terminals in Lagos and Kano come on stream, they will equally enhance more frequencies.”

The NCAA spokesperson said the modern terminals would attract more mega carriers to Nigeria due to easier passenger facilitation and thereby bring more investments into the country.

Nigeria air passenger traffic increased by 20 per cent in 2018 – NCAA

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the figure represents 20.8 per cent increase, compared to the 11,221,608 passengers recorded between January and December 2017.

<h1>Ex-workers of Nigeria Airways Ltd. on Wednesday hailed the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Saturday’s Presidential Election.</h1>

The ex-workers of the defunct national carrier thanked Nigerians for re-electing the president who garnered 15.1 million votes to defeat his closest rival, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (Party) who polled 11.2 million votes.

The spokesperson for the ex-workers, Mr Lookman Animashaun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Buhari’s victory was well deserved.

Animashaun recalled that Nigeria Airways ex-workers and pensioners had on Feb. 8 staged a mega rally at the Lagos airport to declare their support for Buhari who approved N22.6 billion for part payment of their severance packages.

“We want to congratulate ourselves and all Nigerians for giving another opportunity to Buhari to come back as our president for the next four years.

“We thank the Almighty Allah for being gracious to him to achieve that feat.

“What we implore the president to do is to continue the good job, especially in his anti-corruption fight.

“He should make sure that he strengthens the institutions created to fight corruption like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC).’’

According to Animashaun, pensioners are very happy with the president, urging him to continue to put smiles on their faces by paying their pensions as at when due.

According to him, Buhari should also focus more on the economy in order to make life easier for Nigerians who have put their trust in him.

On the aviation sector, he said the re-election of Buhari had increased the chances of establishing a new national carrier like the defunct Nigeria Airways.

“I think the president should establish the new national carrier in this second term so that the airline can start operations and Nigerians will be happy.

“We want our children and younger ones to benefit from that legacy that Nigeria Airways left behind.

“Also, the president has promised to pay the outstanding entitlements of the Nigeria Airways ex-workers in the next few months and we are very optimistic about it.’’

NAN reports that the former national carrier was liquidated in 2004 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government without paying the workers their severance packages as stipulated in extant labour laws.

The workers were paid a fraction of their entitlements by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s regime in 2008 before Buhari approved the payment of N22.6 billion, out of their N45 billion entitlements.

The spokesperson for the ex-workers, Mr Lookman Animashaun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Buhari’s victory was well deserved.

Nigeria Airways ex-workers hail Buhari’s re-election

<h1>Two suspected human traffickers were on Friday apprehended for trafficking some Nigerians to Libya with the promise of taking them to Europe.</h1>

The suspects (named withheld) were apprehended after they were identified by their victims during the profiling of 164 Nigerians who voluntarily returned from the volatile North African country.

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), South West Zone, confirmed the development to newsmen in Lagos.

Farinloye said the suspected traffickers have been handed over to officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation.

According to him, the two men were among the new batch of 164 returnees who arrived the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos about 12.15 a.m. on Friday.

He said the Nigerians were brought by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU) under the Assisted Voluntary Returnees Programme that would end in April 2020.

Farinloye said: “The returnees were brought onboard a chartered Al Burag Airline Boeing 737-800 aircraft with registration number 5A-DMG.

“Upon profiling, the returnees consisted of 71 female adults, 17 female children and six female infants. There were also 55 male adults 13 male children and two male infants.

“Among them were three returnees with medical cases and a pregnant woman who was in labour upon arrival in Nigeria.”

He advised the returnees to remain focused on starting a positive life with the abundant resources available within Nigeria instead of seeking the elusive greener pastures outside the country.

He said though it was their right to seek for better livelihood outside the country, they must however, ensure to follow processes that would not endanger their lives.

Farinloye said : “One will not appreciate the abundant resources God have endowed us with in Nigeria until you travel out.

“All of you have gone and fortunately came back alive and you are at the best position to tell the story to those still aspiring to embark on such journeys.

“We understand that many of you were deceived with very juicy opportunities overseas and these are mostly your close relatives.

”You need to assist the government to stem the menace of trafficking by giving information to government agencies who are going to protect your identity and safety.

“The traffickers are not ghosts; you know them and you need to save other youths from falling victims.”

2 suspected traffickers nabbed as 164 Nigerians return from Libya

The suspects (named withheld) were apprehended after they were identified by their victims during the profiling of 164 Nigerians who voluntarily returned from the volatile North African country.

<h1>The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received another batch of 160 stranded Nigerians from Libya.</h1>

Alhaji Idris Muhammed, Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, confirmed the development to newsmen on Friday in Lagos.

Muhammed said the Nigerians arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 7.50pm on Thursday aboard a chartered Nouvel Air

aircraft and were received by NEMA and other government agencies.

According to him, they were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and European Union under the Assisted Voluntary Returnees (AVR) Programme.

He said: “The returnees are made up of 68 female adults, one female child and five female infants.

“Also, there are 79 male adults, two male children and five male infants making up 74 females and 86 males, including a psychologically traumatised adult male."

Muhammed advised young Nigerians to desist from embarking on irregular migration which removes the fundamental rights that such migrants could have enjoyed.

He noted that it was unfortunate that they had to expose themselves to danger in the quest for greener pastures outside the shores of the country.

One of the returnees, Ms Adebisi Komolafe, from Osogbo in Osun, while narrating her experience to newsmen, urged Nigerians to continue praying for their leaders, especially the president.

Komolafe said: “Despite the bad situation in Libya, the people believe in their leaders and are praying fervently for them. They still see hope in their country.

“If Nigerians can avoid blaming government for everything, with faith and sincerity, our prayers will be accepted by God.

“God will guide our leaders right if we direct our supplications to Almighty God to guide our leaders right.”

She also advised those still planning to travel to the volatile North African country to jettison the idea because it would be an exercise in futility.

“I don’t wish any Nigerian should think of traveling to Libya. I never knew the situation in Libya before I left; if I had known, I wouldn’t have traveled there.

“Nigeria is far better than that country. We need prayers and sincerity in Nigeria.

“I worked as a housemaid and had opportunity to make some money but not having a government in place is a serious problem there. I could not send money back home since I left Nigeria in 2016.

“The only thing I did was to buy goods that I can sell when I get back to Nigeria and I brought everything back now,” Komolafe said.

Another returnee, Miss Aisha Ibrahim from Oyo State, said she thought traveling to Libya would give her opportunity to have a better life.

She said: “My sister paid for my transportation and after a week on arrival in Libya, I got a housemaid work.

“You must work and carryout any instructions given by those people. Failure to obey them will attract punishment or arrest.”

Ibrahim said she decided to return home after she was unjustly arrested and her sister had to pay N400, 000 to secure her release.

NEMA receives 160 Nigerians from Libya/Illustration

Alhaji Idris Muhammed, Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, confirmed the development to newsmen on Friday in Lagos.

NEMA receives 160 Nigerians from Libya

<h1>The Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos on Friday came alive as ex-workers of Nigeria Airways Limited staged a mega rally to support the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari in the Feb. 16 Presidential Election.</h1>

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the pensioners and ex-workers of the defunct national carrier declared their support for the president for paying N22. 6 billion as part payment of their entitlements in October 2018.

The pensioners, who turned out in their numbers, moved from the premises of the Skypower Catering Services through the airport environment chanting “Sai Baba” and “Next Level”, to publicly show their support for Buhari.

Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Airways ex-workers, Mr Lookman Animashaun said the rally was to show appreciation to the president who came to their rescue after many years of neglect by previous administrations.

He said : “Words are not enough to express the profound gratitude of the over 6,000 pensioners and ex-workers of Nigeria Airways to Buhari for his timely intervention in the payment of our benefits.

“For 14 years, we were abandoned, humiliated and frustrated in our demand to be paid what was due to us by successive governments, whose stock in trade was tissues of lies designed to hoodwink the public.

“In the process, about 800 of our members lost their lives.

“But today, PMB has wiped out our tears, put smiles on our faces and restored hope to our members and their families with the part payment of our benefits.”

According to him, the ex-workers of Nigeria Airways are optimistic that Buhari will pay the outstanding balance soon as promised.

Also, Mr Sam Nzene, National Chairman, Nigeria Airways Pensioners, told NAN that the former staff and their families would cast their vote for Buhari because it was the right thing to do.

“This is a man who saved us, who brought smiles to our faces, who rescued our families when others refused to show concern.

“He did promise that he will do it and he actually did it by paying part payment of our benefits that have not been paid for over 14 years.

“So we decided to show gratitude to him by organising this rally because one good turn deserves another.

“We have decided that we and our families will vote for him. We want to tell Nigerians to vote for him because he is a man with a kind heart,” Nzene said.

He said the outstanding payment of their entitlements was already captured in the 2019 budget, which was a clear demonstration that the money would soon be disbursed to the beneficiaries.

NAN reports that the former national carrier was liquidated in 2004 by the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, but the workers were not paid their severance packages as stipulated in extant labour laws.

The workers were paid a fraction of their entitlements by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s regime in 2008 before Buhari approved the part payment of N22. 6 billion to them.

The government has also promised to pay the other half of the money to them as soon as funds are available.

Nigeria Airways ex-workers stage rally for Buhari’s re-election

The pensioners, who turned out in their numbers, moved from the premises of the Skypower Catering Services through the airport environment chanting “Sai Baba” and “Next Level”, to publicly show their support for Buhari.

<h1>Ex-workers of Nigeria Airways Limited will on Feb. 8 stage a mega rally in Lagos to declare their support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s candidacy in the Feb. 16 presidential election.</h1>

The pensioners and ex-workers of the defunct national carrier made the announcement in a statement signed on their behalf by Mr Lookman Animashaun and Mr Sam Nzene, on Tuesday in Lagos.

They said the pensioners were buoyed by the payment of N22.6 billion part-payment of their entitlements by the Buhari-led administration in October 2018.

According to the statement, another rally will take place on Feb. 12

“Buhari is the man who has wiped away our tears after 14 years of neglect, humiliation and frustration by previous administration, which led to the death of over 800 of our members.

“The rally is designed to show appreciation to Mr President and his lieutenants, including the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Finance, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, who took the bull by the horns,” it said.

They added that Buhari had kept to his words by remembering the pensioners unlike former President Goodluck Jonathan who failed to intervene in their plights.

They expressed hope that the Buhari administration would in no distant time pay the balance of their entitlements.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former national carrier was liquidated in 2004 by the President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government without paying the workers their severance packages as stipulated in extant labour laws.

NAN reports further that the workers were paid a fraction of their entitlements by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua regime in 2008 before Buhari approved the part-payment of N22. 6 billion to them.

The current administration has also promised to pay them the outstanding as soon as funds are available.

The pensioners and ex-workers of the defunct national carrier made the announcement in a statement signed on their behalf by Mr Lookman Animashaun and Mr Sam Nzene, on Tuesday in Lagos.

Nigeria Airways ex-workers to stage rally for Buhari on Feb. 8

<h1>A fresh batch of 162 Nigerians, including four pregnant women, have voluntarily returned from Libya with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).</h1>

The Coordinator, Lagos Zonal Office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Idris Muhammed, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

Muhammed said the Nigerians arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 3.30a.m on board a chartered Libyan Airlines aircraft.

He said the returnees comprised of 100 females, including four pregnant women and 62 males.

The coordinator, while welcoming the returnees, urged them to be agents of positive change by joining the campaign against irregular migration.

"Migration is protected by International and national statutes for movement of people through proper regularisation of papers that will protect and save you against risks of irregular migrations," Muhammed said.

He disclosed that NEMA recently hosted a team from European Union on monitoring and evaluation of the special EU intervention on assisted voluntary return of migrants.

According to him, NEMA interfaced with them on the ways of improving the present EU Assisted Voluntary Returnees programme being run by IOM.

He said gaps were identified, especially on logistics.

Muhammed said that efforts were being put in place to close such gaps to make the process much smoother for the stakeholders and the returnees.

He said the exercise, which began in April 2017, is expected to end by April, 2020.

According to him, no fewer than 8,808 returnees have so far been repatriated back home to Nigeria from the volatile North African country.

Muhammed said the Nigerians arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 3.30a.m on board a chartered Libyan Airlines aircraft.

162 Nigerians including 4 pregnant women return from Libya

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