The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said that the 13 houses that were demolished recently at Ajao Estate were posing grave dangers to the operations of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
In a press release signed by the Acting General Manager of Public Affairs, Mrs Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, FAAN indicated that it needed to make some clarifications to correct the erroneous information circulating in the public.
According to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, it is important to state clearly that the area of land presently housing the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos was acquired for public use by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Lands Acquisition Ordinance by Federal Government of Nigeria Official Gazettes in 1944, 1972, and 1975 respectively.
Sometime in the year 2000, the Authority noticed some encroachments within its acquired land in Lagos and a committee was set up to investigate and compel those encroaching to cease and desist from such actions.
“The committee thus put up “Caveat Emptors” and positioned them strategically within the areas under encroachment (they are still in place).”
FAAN explained that publications were done in national dailies and advertorial jingles in local radio stations, warning people of the risks in purchasing and building on Restricted Aviation Land without consideration to the direct dangers on aircraft operations and the building occupants themselves, noting that these warnings were not heeded.
In 2008, FAAN said some residents of the Ajao axis of the encroached land, under the aegis of “Runview Cooperative” approached the Authority for regularisation of their stay on the land.
