Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo on Monday night visited Murtala Muhammed International Airport following a fire outbreak at Terminal 1.
The minister said he arrived at the airport around midnight, where he joined the managing director and management team of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who were coordinating emergency response efforts.
“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,” Keyamo said.
He disclosed that he had directed FAAN’s Fire and Rescue Department, alongside the Lagos State Fire Service, to maintain an overnight vigil at the airport.
“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,” he added.
Keyamo said he would conduct an on-site assessment of the facility at daybreak.
“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 stated.
The fire broke out earlier on Monday at Terminal 1, triggering an emergency response and the temporary closure of the Lagos airfield. FAAN confirmed that 14 persons trapped in the control tower were rescued with the support of a crane, while six persons sustained injuries and are currently in stable condition.
Preliminary findings by the fire service indicated that the blaze originated in the server room on the first floor of the terminal. The sixth floor of the building was evacuated, and airspace operations were temporarily suspended as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) worked to establish a temporary control tower.
Flight operations later resumed on Monday evening.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, confirmed that the agency’s emergency response team was managing the situation and reiterated that no loss of life was recorded.
