Flight operations may be disrupted as from today as aviation unions have declared an indefinite strike in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The unions include the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the National Association of Air Transport Pilots and Employees (NAAPE).
The industrial action begins by 5:00am on Wednesday, according to the unions in a notice issued, yesterday, saying the action followed the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum earlier issued to the Federal Ministry of Transportation (Aviation) and the NCAA.
It was gathered that the unions had threatened to shut down the sector over the present management structure (organogram) of the NCAA, which they argued, stifles career progression.
The notice of strike came a few days after the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, appealed to the unions to embrace dialogue on the issue rather than shutting down the sector, saying the organogram could be “tweaked”.
In the notice signed by the General Secretary, NUATE, Com. Ocheme Aba; Deputy General Secretary, ATSSSAN, Comrade Frances Akinjole; Secretary General, ANAP, Comrade Abdulrazaq Saidu; Deputy General Secretary, NAAPE, Comrade Umoh Ofonime; the unions said the ministry had failed to address any of its demands.
They said the Ministry and the NCAA only reacted to its ultimatum which elapsed on Monday with “only half-hearted measures.
“Having therefore exhausted all efforts and patience on the issues, we are left with no other option. Our unions hereby direct all staff of NCAA nationwide to commence an indefinite industrial action with effect from 0500hrs on Wednesday, 22nd May, 2019”, the statement said.
The notice said the situation “will remain so” until the demands of the unions were met.
The unions also directed all NCAA workers to assemble at the entrance/gate of the various work places and take directive from branch union officers on location until directed otherwise.
Meanwhile, no fewer than thirty-four persons were reportedly killed yesterday by armed bandits who invaded three local governments areas of Batsari, Danmusa and Faskari in Katsina State.
Locals in the areas said 18 were killed in Yargamji in Batsari LGA, 5 killed in Mara Zamfarawa in Danmusa LGA and 11 killed in Sabon Layi village, Faskari LGA.
Scores were reportedly said to have sustained degrees of injuries while some were still missing and their livestock cart away by the bandits.
The bandits invaded Mara Zamfarawa village in Danmusa Local Government, Sabon-layin Galadima community of Faskari Local Government and Yar Gamji village of Batsari Local Government of the state, shooting sporadically.
Residents said 26 persons, mostly farmers, were feared dead during the attacks.
The police, however, said five were killed by the bandits in Faskari Local Government but could not disclose the number of the dead recorded in Batsari and Danmusa Local Governments.
“They attacked Yar Gamji village of Batsari Local Government and killed 10 persons. They entered the village on motorcycles; the attackers also rustled many animals and injured many people,” an official of Batsari council, who craved anonymity, told our correspondent.
The official lamented that despite numerous attacks on Batsari communities, the bandits still move freely while unleashing the act without being challenged by security personnel.
According to him, “We have now become easy prey for bandits in Batsari as if we don’t have constituted authority in Katsina State. Nobody cares about the lives of villagers again in this state.”
At Sabon-Layin Galadima village of Faskari council, the bandits reportedly attacked the villages on Monday night and massacred 11 persons.
Local sources said the bandits numbering about 30 on motorcycles stormed the village about 8: 27 p.m where they killed the victims and whisked away many animals and motorcycles belonging to residents.
In a related development, five persons were reportedly killed yesterday afternoon at Mara Zamfarawa village in Danmusa Local Government of the state.
The bandits were said to have attacked the residents while working on their farms in the village, forcing those that survived the attack to scamper for safety.
Meanwhile, the police spokesman in the state, SP Gambo Isah, said only five persons were killed at Sabon-layi village of Faskari council.
He said: “On the Faskari incident, a group of Yansakai from Sabon Layi village, Faskari went into the forest and confronted the bandits since yesterday and did not report back.
“Two corpses were recovered and buried by the villagers yesterday. A search party led by the DPO of Faskari recovered three others inside the forest. A bandits’ camp was also discovered abandoned by the bandits.”
Isah said operatives of Operation ‘Puff Adder’ have since been deployed in the affected villages to ensure normalcy, adding that investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Also, at least, 27 Nigerians have been abducted between Sunday and yesterday morning. last Sunday, kidnappers stormed a remote village called Anguwan Kuli, along the border of Sabua local government in Katsina State and Birinin Gwari axis in Kaduna to abduct a pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), and 14 others.
The Kaduna police spokesperson, Yakubu Sabo, said the worshippers were accosted by the armed men on their way from a church service on Sunday morning.
“They took away the pastor, four men, and ten women, making them 15”, the police said.
The Chairman of Kaduna State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Joseph Hayab, on Monday said the abductors have reached out to the families of the victims demanding for N30 million ransom.
Mr Hayab also said the kidnappers immediately switched off their phone after presenting their demand.
In Ekiti, two individuals reported to be twins, Kehinde and Taiwo Olowoafara, were kidnapped along Aramoko-Erio-Efon Alaaye Road in Ekiti State while they were travelling on Sunday.
The abduction occurred the same day the General Secretary of the Alumni Association of Christ School, Ado Ekiti, Ayo Oladele, was kidnapped.
The trio are yet to be rescued as at the time of filing this report. The state police spokesperson, Caleb Ikechukwu, said the police operatives were doing their best to rescue the abducted people.
While the family of the twins said abductors of their children had already reached out, demanding N6 million each for the duo to be released, Mr Oladele’s family said that the abductors were demanding N10 million for their son to be set free.
Two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), identified as Bayegunmi and Abioye, were kidnapped in Iwaraja, Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State, on Monday.
The FRSC spokesperson, Bisi Kazeem, told newsmen yesterday that the kidnappers of two officials have demanded N1 million ransom to release the road safety officials.
Hours after the kidnap of the FRSC officials, two villagers were abducted in a nearby village in Osun State.
The head of hunters in Ibokun, Amusa Dunsin, and a woman identified as Tayo was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State.
In the past week, the police and other security agencies have announced the arrest of scores of suspected kidnappers and the rescue of dozens of victims.
Despite the efforts of the security agencies, however, the proliferation of arms by non-state actors, as well as the insufficient number of trained and equipped security personnel has contributed to the insecurity across the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari was recently criticised by many Nigerians after he joked about the security situation in the country.