Kaduna Confirms Flight Operations After Bandits’ Attack On Airport

The Kaduna State Government, yesterday, announced the resumption of normal flight operations at the Kaduna International Airport after last Saturday’s bandits’ attack.
Over 200 bandits had invaded the Kaduna Airport runway, interrupted flights, and killed a security guard.
The bandits had vowed to disrupt the aircraft operations until they were repelled by the security operatives.
However, in a statement, yesterday, the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the airport has resumed operations.
“Troops stationed within and around the airport responded and repelled the attackers.
“The bandits killed a staff of the airport, stationed at the perimeter fence, who raised alarm on sighting them”.
The statement added that Airport operations resumed with scheduled flights departing after the incident.
He said further updates would be communicated to the public, as security forces were conducting operations in the airport general area.
Aruwan said that the state Governor, Nasir El-Rufa’i commended the security forces for their prompt response to the attack, and for repelling the attackers, even as he expressed sadness at the report of the casualty.
He sent condolences to the family of the victim while offering prayers for the repose of his soul.
Detailed had earlier emerged , Saturday, of how over 200 bandits stormed Kaduna International Airport, stopped several aircraft from flying after killing one security personnel of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
An airport staff said, in Kaduna, last Saturday evening that over 200 bandits stormed the airport around 12.00am.
He said they were speaking in Hausa, said, “Hausa ‘Zamu rufe airport ba jirgi da zai tashi’, meaning: We will shut down this airport. No aircraft will fly in and out.”
The source said the bandits alleged that the military took away their cows and as revenge, they stormed the Airport at midnight but were repelled by the military, stationed at the airport.
He said everybody thought, since the military has repelled them, they would never come back.
He added that everybody was surprised as they resurfaced around 1200am.
“In fact, our staff resumed work this morning as usual. They worked around the runway 5:00amtill around 12:00pm.
“Then, shortly after that, some NAMA staff went to check some of their equipment, then, these people (bandits) appeared and started shooting. The NAMA engineers scampered for safety, they could not even go and entered the vehicle that took them to the site. It was in the process that their security man was shot in the head”, he said.
He said the injured security man was taken to the hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival.
“As I am talking to you now, the military is still battling those guys, and they are proving difficult to be repelled. Now, they have shut down the airport,” he said
It was gathered that more military, security operatives were deployed to the airport, for clearance operation using the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC).