Four policemen arrested for involvement in eviction of FAAN retirees
There was confusion at the Federal Airport Authority of Nigerian (FAAN) quarters on Thursday following the forceful eviction of some retirees of the authority who refused the quit their apartment.
A combined team of officials led by the police and FAAN personnel in security, administration, legal, operations, environment, estate and stores departments, stormed the official duty quarters in the early hours of yesterday to remove the property of the recalcitrant retirees.
A source hinted that four policemen, attached to the Airport Police Command, were arrested and locked up by their superiors for participating in the exercise and for taking firearms to the quarters without “official approval.”
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Police Airport Command, Joseph Alabi, promised to investigate the involvement of his colleagues.
But Chairman of Aviation Parastatals Retirees, Chief Thadeus Obidike, said the eviction of the retirees violated existing agreement between FAAN and its workers who are covered in the monetisation policy of government.
He said the matter is already in court saying FAAN acted in violation of existing discussions.
In a swift reaction, the Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, said the authority took the right steps to evict the retirees having served them series of notice to pack out of the duty quarters.
She said the six affected retirees were the first batch of former workers who have abused the privilege granted by the authority.
Mrs. Yakubu said FAAN took the right steps to secure the “duty quarters” so that serving staff in essential operations department have accommodation to respond timeously to emergencies.
Investigations revealed that the six retirees have been paid their gratuities by FAAN, but refused to vacate the premises.
Meanwhile, some of the affected retirees had to make arrangement to evaluate their property out of the quarters
