Four suspected bandits have been arrested following a security breach at Akure Airport, in Ondo State, South-West Nigeria, in an operation involving the military and aviation security personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.
The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.
According to airport officials, the incident began when an air traffic controller observed unusual movements from the control tower and alerted security authorities after suspected armed men reportedly chased farmers from nearby farmland toward the airport runway.
The alert triggered a coordinated response involving FAAN’s Aviation Security unit, the Nigerian Air Force, and other security operatives who combed surrounding forest areas, leading to the arrest of four suspects.
FAAN’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, explained that the alarm was raised after a woman and several young men were seen running from farms located behind the airport’s operational fence toward the runway while calling for help.
Security personnel, including the local security outfit Amotekun, responded swiftly, leading to the capture of the suspects who were later transferred to the police for interrogation.
Beyond the arrests, the incident has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of airports infrastructure, particularly the absence of standard perimetre fencing at several regional airports.
Akure Airport’s proximity to communities experiencing rising security challenges has amplified the risks associated with unsecured airport boundaries.
FAAN says Akure Airport has been listed as a priority under its Airport Infrastructure Rehabilitation Programme, with plans to strengthen perimetre protection as part of broader upgrades expected to be completed by 2027.
In the interim, the authority has intensified surveillance through armed aviation security patrols, agro-ranger deployments, observation posts and night-vision monitoring to mitigate security threats around the facility.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
