Four policemen attached to the Airport Police Command Lagos airport have been arrested and locked up for participating in the forceful eviction of retirees of the Federal airports authority of Nigeria, FAAN from the authority’s staff quarters.
The officers arrest was a directive by their superiors for participating in the exercise without official approval and for taking firearms to the quarters without approval .
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Airport Command, Joseph Alabi said investigation was on going as regards the involvement of his colleagues.
The FAAN retirees were forcefully evicted from the staff quarters this morning following the expiration of their stay and refusal to vacate the place.
It took the combined efforts of officials of the Nigerian Police, FAAN personnel security, and officers from administration , legal , operations ,environment, estate and stores departments to remove the property of the retirees.
Chairman of Aviation Parastatals Retirees , Chief Thadeus Obidike said that 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 quickly to emergencies.
She said if the previous occupants have not vacated the quarters, the serving staff will not have accommodation .Mrs Yakubu said :” FAAN evicted the retirees from the duty quarters because the affected persons have been paid their gratuity and other entitlement in the last one year .“They have to vacate the duty quarters because FAAN has paid them and written several notices to them . They were even given an ultimatum, and they signed a letter of undertaking that they will move . But, as at yesterday they refused to move and we have to activate the evict order .The issue of FAAN harassing them does not arise , FAAN acted within the laws of the land.“The apartments cannot be sold , they are duty houses for essential staff . Such people have to disabuse their minds from thinking that they can buy government houses.In the condition of service, the provisions made have being complied with . The affected retirees are just giving excuses, that does not hold any water.“They should plan for retirement , it is lack of planning that leads to this type of embarrassment of holding on to government houses after retiring from service .If they do not leave how will serving staff have quarters to occupy”.
