Aviation unions have issued a stern warning to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) management, demanding immediate action against the repeated assaults—both physical and psychological—on its staff by customs officers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

In a letter dated March 7, 2025, and addressed to FAAN’s Managing Director, the unions—comprising the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN)—expressed their outrage over the continued harassment of FAAN personnel.

The unions, represented by their General Secretaries, Comrades Ocheme Aba (NUATE), Abdulrazak Saidu (ANAP), and Frances Akinjole (ATSSSAN), criticized the lack of response from FAAN management despite the expiration of a previous ultimatum. They emphasized that if concrete measures are not taken by March 31, 2025, they will initiate a full withdrawal of all aviation workers from airports nationwide.

“The recent assault on FAAN’s Director of Aviation Security is the latest in a series of unacceptable attacks,” the letter stated. “We cannot continue to tolerate this level of disrespect and violence towards our members.”

To escalate pressure, union leaders have directed their branches and state councils across Nigeria to begin mobilizing workers for the planned industrial action.

The unions insist that FAAN management must establish clear operational protocols to ensure the safety and dignity of its staff. Failure to do so, they warned, will result in further drastic measures to protect their members from continued abuse.