The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN has announced it has launched an armed Aviation Security unit at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The confirmation was given on X by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.

He said the armed unit was launched to address touting and illegal activities at airports.

Keyamo said the unit has been mandated to arrest and prosecute touts and other suspected criminals operating within the airport premises.

According to the minister, the initiative will be replicated at other international airports in the country, to ensure a safer and more secure environment for passengers and airport users.

Keyamo wrote: “As part of the steps we earlier promised Nigerians to take to curb the menace of touting and other illegal activities around our airports, earlier today the Managing Director of FAAN, on my behalf, unveiled the armed Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

“We will replicate it at other international airports. They have the mandate to arrest and prosecute touts and other suspected criminals around our airports.

“This is apart from the other inter-ministerial effort that is still ongoing to deal specifically with the issue of agencies of government within the airports that are involved in extortion, bribery and begging.”

Recall that on June 23, the minister claimed the issue of extortion of passengers by officials of government agencies at the nation’s airports was beyond the ministry’s control.