The management of Integrated Intelligent Imaging West Africa Limited otherwise known as I-CUBE has disclosed that workers of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria vandalised its facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
I-CUBE was the concessionaire of the MMIA tollgate before aviation unions in FAAN forced the company’s workers out and took over the access gate on the claim that the concession had expired.
In early February, the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals branches of FAAN dislodged the concessionaire’s workers and took over the access gate.
The solicitor to the firm, Charles Ebhoman, on Friday, told journalists that despite a court judgement that each party should maintain the status quo, FAAN workers visited I-CUBE’s premises at the airport and vandalised its electricity cables, water source and other valuables.
Ebhoman said the case was before a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, with a return date of February 28 for hearing of pending applications.
He said, “The status quo order means parties are supposed to maintain what was on ground before we went to court.
“Despite the court order, FAAN unions came into the premises to vandalise my client’s properties. It is very unfortunate that we are trying to encourage Foreign Direct Investments, yet we can’t keep our own laws. Our country is not a Banana Republic, even the Federal Government obeys the laws.”
He stated that by vandalising I-CUBE’s facilities with the intention of forcing the company out, the agency had taken laws into its hands.
Ebhoman stated that the concession agreement that brought I-CUBE expired in February 2019, adding that the company had written to FAAN three months before then but did not get a response.
He said the company continued with the monthly remittance of N68m and FAAN issued receipts before the sudden take over early this month.
I-CUBE’s Head of Strategy, Tunji Olaosun, said the company’s facility had been without electricity since Thursday as the agency’s workers had also prevented it from running its generators.
The General Secretary of ANAP, Abdulrazaq Saidu, said it was not vandalism but an attempt by the agency’s engineers to correct electrical issues in the complex.
He, however, stated that I-CUBE had been served a letter by FAAN to vacate the premises because the contract had expired.
