BREAKING: Flights grounded, passengers stranded as unions shutdown Lagos airport

Hundreds of passengers were on Wednesday stranded as protesting
members of the aviation unions shutdown operations at the Murtala
Muhammed Airport 2, operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the unions embarked on
the protest alleging BASL's sacking of 20 employees who indicated
interest to unionise.

The protesting unions are the National Union of Air Transport
Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of
Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and
Engineers (NAAPE).

As early as 6am, the union members, who defied early morning downpour,
barricaded the entrance to the MMA2.

Their action came in spite of a court order restraining them from
embarking on the protest.

The unionists, who chanted various solidarity songs, accused BASL
management of violating extant labour laws by not recognising the
unions and preventing staff from joining unions in the sector.

They prevented passengers going to catch their early morning flights,
and also airline officials and people with businesses inside the
terminal from gaining access to the premises.

The protest also caused heavy vehicular traffic around the airport
environment, which spiraled to some parts of Ikeja and the Agege Motor
Road.

Airlines affected by the action include Arik Air, Medview Airline,
Azman Air, Max Air, Dana Air and Aero Contractors, which operate
flights from the terminal.

There was heavy presence of security operatives including the Police
and officers of the Nigeria Air Force in the area during the protest.

Mr Frances Akinjole, General Secretary, ATSSSAN, told NAN that the
unions were compelled to carry out the action following the refusal of
the BASL management to accede to their demands.

Akinjole said: "This issue started since May when these workers were
laid off for indicating interest to belong to unions.

"We met the management asking them to reinstate these workers and
recognise their rights to join unions but they refused.

"The regulator of the industry, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
(NCAA) as well as aviation security agencies have intervened in series
of meetings, but BASL management has refused to do the needful to
avert this crisis."

Akinjole denied knowledge of any court order restraining the unions
from carrying out the action, stressing that what they were doing had
legal backings.

Also, Mr Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary, NUATE, said the unions
had issued the notice of strike to the public to afford travelers the
opportunity of making alternative traveling arrangements.

Abioye urged the union members to remain calm and refuse any form of
provocation by security agencies deployed to quell the protest.

However, Bi-Courtney in a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr Steve
Omolale, said the company had obtained a court order from the Federal
High Court, Lagos, restraining the unions from shutting down Nigeria's
only privately-owned terminal.

"We will like to bring it to the attention of the entire public that
the Federal High Court in Lagos in suit number FHC/L/CS/16412/18 has
granted an order restraining the unions from carrying out their
threats of disrupting the activities of the terminal.

"Pursuant to this order, members of the unions found in the premises
of MMA2 would be liable to trespass.

"We reserve our right under the law of Nigeria to deal with such
person as a trespasser," he said.