The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has advised motorists to always park their vehicles at designated car parks to avoid penalties.
This is sequel to the allegation of victimisation and extortion by some motorists against officials of Baskfast International Ventures Ltd, a firm that controls wrong parking at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
The General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, gave the advice while speaking with newsmen in Abuja, yesterday.
Yakubu said that the authority had ensured that adequate car parks were provided in spite of the ongoing construction work that had affected traffic flow at the airport.
She explained that a lot of drivers often preferred to wait for their principals very close to the terminal building leading to the congestion which, according to her, often hinders free flow of traffic.
According to her, FAAN had made sure that vehicles are parked at the designated points but some motorists prefer to disobey, which always lead to clamping of the wheels and the penalty is N25,000.
“The towing company that is enforcing it is working with FAAN to ensure compliance by motorists.
“We have been receiving complaints from many people but our findings revealed that so many of them don’t park at the designated place.
“We are advising that they should park at the designated car parks while waiting for their principals so that they can be called on phone whenever their principals arrive.
“If they do that, nobody would disturb them not to talk of harassment and extortion,” she said.
Some of the affected motorists, who spoke to our source, said that they always wait in their vehicles, alleging that as soon as they stepped out of the vehicles, the officials would rush in and clamp the wheel.
One of the affected motorists, Mr Paul Idris, said he stepped out of the car to open his boot but immediately discovered that someone was already chaining his car wheel.
Idris said that all the pleas by his boss fell on deaf ears, adding that he was fined N25,000.
He said that after series of pleas, the officials agreed to collect N15,000 which he paid into the First Bank account of Baskfast International Ventures Ltd.
On why the officials agreed to collect N15,000 instead of N25,000, an official who pleaded anonymity, said that any offender who identified himself as either staff or security personnel would be allowed to pay N15,000.
NAIA is currently experiencing traffic congestion due to the ongoing construction work on the new terminal building leading to the relocation of some car parks and blockage of some access roads.