Terrorists, Friday night, invaded Kaduna International Airport and killed a security guard attached to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA.
The terrorists also allegedly prevented a Lagos bound commercial aircraft from taking off.A combined detachment of the military and other security agents were, however, deployed to the airport to confront the terrorists.
A source told journalists that the terrorists invaded the airport but were repelled by the military.
“ The terrorists were many, about 200.They later re grouped and attacked the airport again. As of 12.30 pm , we could still hear gunshots at the airport,” the source said.
There was no reaction from the police as of time of this report, even as journalists were told that fighting was still going on to repel the terrorists away at the airport .
Meanwhile, Airport Manager, Mrs. Amina Ozi Salami, said no flight was stopped by the terrorists as two flights that departed the airport had long taken off before the terrorists started firing shots at the runway from the parameter fence.
“The terrorists have their route behind the parameter fence and were always passing there”, Salami said.
“One of the security guards who was at runway 05 was hit by bullet from the terrorists on the head and he died on the way to hospital.
“AZMAN had long taken off at the time the bandits started shooting. In fact AZMAN may have forgotten that they came to Kaduna.
“Unfortunately on their way to hospital, the guard died.
“Behind the parameter fence is their route, they are always passing through that place.I don’t know whether they wanted to come to the airport.
“Unfortunately they shot at the runway ,unfortunately their bullet hit the security guard on the head.But the two flights we had had taken off.
“There are military personnel in the airport and they gave it to the terrorists. They seized some of their motorcycles. The military succeeded in chasing them away”.
NAMA, last night, confirmed that gunmen killed the guard attached to the site of its very high frequency omni-directional range (VOR), a navigational aids equipment at the airport.
Managing Director of NAMA, Matthew Pwajok, said the guard at the site of the navigational aids (Navaids), about one kilometer away from the runway, was killed, adding that the technical staff ran for safety after the guard was killed.
Pwajok said : “It’s true, bandits attacked our Navaids site which is a kilometer away from the runway, they killed the watchman while the technical staff ran back, we alerted the military and they responded swiftly, the situation is now under control by the military, the few flights were able to take off afterwards”.
Samuel Aruwan ,Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, also confirmed that troops repelled bandits who attacked the Kaduna airport.
He said in a statement:“Security forces have reported that an attack by armed bandits was repelled in the vicinity of the Kaduna International Airport.
“Troops stationed within and around the airport responded and repelled the attackers.
“However, the bandits unfortunately shot and killed a staff member stationed at the perimeter fence who raised the alarm on sighting them.
“Airport operations resumed with scheduled flights departing after the incident.
“Security forces are conducting operations in the airport general area. Further updates will be communicated to the public.
“Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i commended the security forces for their prompt response to the attack, and for repelling the attackers. He expressed sadness at the report of the casualty, and sent condolences to the family of the victim, while offering prayers for the repose of his soul”.
Sunday Vanguard recalls that bandits also attacked the staff quarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, at the Kaduna airport last March. The gunmen abducted about 12 people, including a staff member of NAMA and his entire family. They also abducted a wife and kid of a staff member of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMET.
SOURCE:VANGUARD.
