There was anxiety at the Murtala Muhammed Airport , Lagos, South West Nigeria, on Monday as security officials arrested a disabled young man suspected to be a bomber.
He was allegedly found with improvised explosive devices as he attempted to gain entrance into a facility near Centrex unit of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency ( NAMA).
According to sources, the disabled young man was reportedly moving suspiciously along the airport road leading to the international wing of the airport , when private security officials on guard arrested him .
The source hinted that upon interrogation, the suspect was found with alleged improvised explosive device. Worried over the trend, the private security officials handed the suspect over to the Nigeria Police .
Confirming the incident , the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said a suspected suicide bomber was arrested at one of the agency’s facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Monday.
In statement, the General Manager Public Affairs NAMA, Mr Supo Atobatele said : “The basic truth however, is that the said suspect was on the ground making phone calls along the airport road close to CENTREX, an annex office of NAMA when the agency’s security personnel accosted him and questioned his presence.
“His incoherent explanation exposed him to the security personnel who later found on him some devices suspected to be explosives. He was subsequently handed over to the Airport Police Command for further investigation. The Managing Director, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam in a reaction commended the security personnel for their vigilance and prompt arrest of the suspect.”
A source said the suspect was subsequently moved to the headquarters of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, at Beesam junction along the Airport Road where he is still under interrogation.
A source close to the police said the device found on him were wired cables, which could be converted into explosives.
Officials of the Explosive Ordinance Department of the Nigeria Police are still examining the devices found on the young man, which has been allegedly defused. An eyewitness said the alleged explosive device, which has been defused was hung on the neck of the suspect around the airport which attracted passers-by including staff of aviation agencies.
Sequel to the arrest of the suspected bomber, security has been beefed up around both the domestic and international terminals of the Lagos Airport. Many workers, contractors and others that passed through the main entrance into the headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), NAMA and other offices were subjected to intensive search .
They were requested to submit their bags for check before gaining entrance into the offices.
Workers of aviation agencies gathered in groups to discuss the implication of the threat to security around the airport.
At the Beesam junction headquarters of the police command, detectives, intelligence personnel and anti-bomb specialists were on hand to carry out intense interrogation on the suspect.
The commissioner of police, Airport Command, Waheed Salau declined to comment on the development.
