- Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo undertook an emergency midnight visit to Murtala Muhammed International Airport following a fire outbreak at Terminal 1
- He commended FAAN personnel and first responders for activating emergency procedures promptly, which helped prevent casualties and limit damage
- Authorities maintained an overnight firefighting vigil, while the minister scheduled a dawn inspection to assess the extent of the damage
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, undertook an emergency visit to Lagos State late on Monday night following a fire outbreak at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
In a post shared via his X handle on Tuesday morning, the minister disclosed that he arrived at the airport around midnight and immediately joined the Managing Director and management team of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who were coordinating efforts to contain the blaze.
Keyamo commended FAAN personnel and other first responders for what he described as their swift activation of established emergency procedures, noting that their prompt and coordinated intervention helped to safeguard lives and limit the extent of damage.
“I commend FAAN personnel and first responders for their swift activation of established emergency procedures. Their prompt and coordinated actions were instrumental in safeguarding lives and limiting the impact of the incident,” he stated.
He further revealed that he had directed both the FAAN Fire Department and the Lagos State Fire Service to maintain an overnight vigil at the airport to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.
“I have directed the fire department of FAAN and the Lagos State Fire Service to maintain an overnight vigil at the airport to ensure that the fire is properly put out,” the minister added, indicating that authorities were taking no chances with the safety of passengers and infrastructure.
Keyamo also announced plans to conduct an inspection of the affected facility at daybreak to assess the extent of the damage and issue necessary directives.
“At dawn, I will be undertaking a tour of the airport to assess the extent of damage caused by the fire and to give necessary directives,” he said.
Earlier, PUNCH Online reported that the fire had engulfed the old terminal of the Lagos airport, which forms part of the airport’s ageing infrastructure and is currently undergoing renovation as part of broader efforts to upgrade facilities and enhance passenger experience.
Confirming the development, FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, said emergency response teams were already on the ground managing the situation.
“Our firefighting team is currently responding and working to curtail the situation,” he said, assuring the public that no casualties had been recorded.
Passengers and airport users have been urged to remain calm as authorities continue efforts to fully extinguish the fire and evaluate the extent of the damage.