TheCable

Suspected thieves have carted away the recently installed airfield ground lighting systems at the domestic runway (18L/36R) of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

The runway lights help pilots to do landing and takeoff safely at night, or in low visibility conditions.

It is not yet clear exactly when the incident occurred.

Yakubu Funtua, director of public affairs and consumer protection, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), told BBC that the agency has launched an investigation into the issue.

Funtua assured that FAAN will do its best to get those behind the criminal act and get them to face the full wrath of the law.

He said FAAN will “block all loopholes to prevent a future occurrence”.

In November 2022, the runway was reopened for 24 hours flight services after the successful installation of the ground lights.

The runway was rehabilitated in 2008 and was supposed to be accompanied with lights but the facility was not installed until 14 years after.

The absence of lights on the runway had put untold burden on airlines over the years as they burn fuel while taxing to the domestic runway from the international runway.

A year earlier, the “non-functional runway lights” at the international wing of Lagos airport had caused British Airways to divert its Lagos-bound flights to Abuja airport.