No fewer than 25 iron beam containers have been abandoned at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos since 2015, while an additional 70 containers imported from China have gone missing.
25 containers of iron beams were ordered by former Minister of Aviation Stella Oduah in 2014 for the reconstruction of the hajj and cargo terminals before she was removed from office over her alleged purchase of two bulletproof BMW bulletproof cars.
The containers arrived in 2015 and have been abandoned ever since.
“The containers containing the beams were imported into Nigeria for the construction of hajj and cargo terminals, as Oduah then focused much attention on rehabilitating the airport terminals,” a Ministry of Aviation source said. “The hajj and cargo terminals were part of the exercise, but before the equipment could arrive at the shores of Nigeria, Oduah had already been removed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.”
The source added that Mrs. Oduah’s successors – Sam Ortom, Osita Chidoka, and Hadi Sirika – could be responsible for their abandonment.
He further revealed that the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Saleh Dunoma, was the Director of Projects during Oduah’s tenure and was therefore responsible for the clearance of equipment used for airport remodeling projects.
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