Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has dismissed speculation of sabotage in the fire outbreak at the old terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, assuring Nigerians that investigations will determine the actual cause.
Speaking to journalists at the scene on Tuesday, Keyamo cautioned against conspiracy theories, emphasising that the immediate focus should be on gratitude for lives saved and emergency response efforts.
He clarified that the affected structure was not the new terminal but the old facility already scheduled for demolition and total rehabilitation.
“It is not the new terminal that was affected. It is the terminal that we were about to pull down”, Keyamo explained, noting that temporary arrangements had already been made to relocate airlines and other entities operating from the old building.
According to him, while the building was slated for reconstruction, the fire destroyed several critical equipment, including facilities belonging to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET). He disclosed that air traffic controllers were trapped during the incident and had to be rescued using cranes.
Despite the damage, the Minister confirmed there was no loss of life; a development he described as the government’s greatest relief.
“In this kind of situation, we first look at the loss of lives. We thank God that there was no single loss of life”, he stated.
On the issue of sabotage, Keyamo maintained that it would be premature to speculate.
“At my level as Minister, I cannot begin to speculate or get involved in conspiracy theories”, he said, adding that possible technical causes being mentioned informally, such as an inverter installation, would be investigated.
He assured Nigerians that clearing of rubble would begin immediately and that the reconstruction process would now be accelerated.
“This fire will hasten our movement away from the building”, he noted.