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Armed bandits numbering over 200 invaded the Kaduna International Airport on Saturday, shooting dead a security officer of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
The invaders overran the runway and prevented a Lagos-bound AZMAN aircraft from taking off at about 12:30 pm.
The Nation gathered that the attack forced the authorities to temporarily shut down the Airport, while the military battled the gunmen.
A source at the Airport told Our Correspondent that the bandits had vowed to keep the airport shut.
The Nation learnt that the attack began at midnight, but the military repelled the bandits.
The bandits reinforced and returned at about noon.
They were said to have been aggrieved that some soldiers seized their cattle.
According to the source, “the bandit’s attack started around 12:00am today (Saturday). They started attacking the airport around midnight. The bandits were alleging that the military personnel took away their cattle.
“The military were able to repel them that midnight and we thought that was all. In fact, our staff resumed work this morning as usual. They worked around runway five till around 12:00 pm.
“Then, shortly after that, some NAMA staff went to check some of their equipment. These people (bandits) appeared and started shooting. The NAMA engineers scampered for safety; they could not even go and enter the vehicle that took them to the site. It was in the process that their security man was shot in the head.
“The security man was rushed to the hospital and he was confirmed dead.
“As I am talking to you now, the military are still battling those guys, and they are proving difficult to be repelled. Now, they have shut down the Airport,” the source said.
It was gathered that many of the staff have already fled the Airport, while more military personnel have been deployed to the scene on clearance operation with an Armoured Personnel Carrier.
The Kaduna State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Muhammad Jalige promised to speak with the DPO in charge of the area before commenting on the alleged incident.
He was yet to do so as of the time of this report.
