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More revelations have emerged from last Saturday’s invasion of Kaduna International Airport by 200 bandits, as it was alleged that they went on the mission to revenge the taking of their cows by the military.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the invasion stopped two aircraft from flying and one security personnel of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) was shot in the head.
It was gathered that the bandits were repelled by the military stationed at the airport, but they resurfaced around 1200am.
According to an airport staff who spoke on anonymity, over 200 bandits stormed the airport around 12:00 am.
He said they were speaking in Hausa, saying: “Zamu rufe airport ba jirgi da zai tashi”, translating to mean “We will shut down this airport, no aircraft will fly in and out”.
In his words: “In fact, our staff resumed work this morning as usual. They worked around the runway from 5:00 am till around 12:00 pm.
“Then, shortly after that, some NAMA staff went to check some of their equipment, then these people (bandits) appeared and started shooting.
“The NAMA engineers scampered for safety, they could not even go and enter the vehicle that took them to the site. It was in the process that their security man was shot in the head”.
He said the injured security man was taken to the hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival.
“As I am talking to you now, the military is still battling those guys, and they are proving difficult to be repelled. Now, they have shut down the Airport,” the source added.
TNG gathered that more military, security operatives were deployed to the Airport, for clearance operation using the Armoured Personnel Carrier.
FAAN’s account:
Meanwhile, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had provided more details of the attack and confirmed a staff member was killed by the assailants.
The agency said a “group of bandits” attacked the Runway 05 axis but were repelled by security forces.
It said normalcy has since been restored at the airport and security officials recovered two motorbikes abandoned by the bandits.
The airport manager, Amina Salami, had earlier confirmed the attack, saying bandits invaded the airport through the perimeter fence from a nearby forest at about 1 p.m.
She said a security guard who was patrolling the runway was shot by the assailants before soldiers, attracted by the sound of gunshots, responded.
The attack delayed the takeoff of a Lagos-bound flight.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said “I commended the security forces for their prompt response to the attack, and for repelling the attackers, and condoled with the family of the victim.”
FAAN said in a statement on Twitter that a reinforcement team from the Nigerian Defence Academy was on ground to ensure safety and security of airport workers/users.
“The Authority uses this opportunity to sympathise with the family and friends of the victim of this unfortunate incident,” the statement signed by Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, Ag. General Manager, Corporate Affairs, said.