Shuttle driver recovers $20,000, other valuables at Lagos Airport

Shuttle driver recovers $20,000, other valuables at Lagos Airport

New terminal at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

A shuttle driver attached to the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), Lagos has recovered a large sum of money and valuables worth over $20,000.

It was learned that a prominent personality, though careless, left the valuables behind in a shuttle on his way to board an Arik flight to Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Contained in the recovered bag were the sum of $20,000 (N500,000), nine wristwatches in black and yellow pouches, a bead in a yellow bag, one eyeglass in a yellow bag, pieces of jewelry in two golden purses, four bank cheques, eye drop, envelopes of different sizes, a pack of business cards, an identification card and a Samsung Note 20 Ultra.

Group Corporate Affairs Manager of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Terminal, Mikail Mumuni, yesterday said about 1510hrs, August 30, 2021, a black bag, forgotten inside a Coaster bus, used for conveying passengers at the airside, with the number plate BDG 689 GW, was picked up by the driver of the bus, Emmanuel Eluu, and brought to the Aviation Security (AVSEC) Airside Supervisor, Taiwo Adelakun.

“Eluu was accompanied by the Operations, Airside Supervisor, Gbadamosi Olasunkami, and Operations, Airside Head of Shift, Oluwole Alonge, to ascertain what was kept in the bag and for safekeeping.

“The items were kept in security custody by Adelakun as instructed by AVSEC Manager, Okeowo Olatunbosun and confirmed by Gbadamosi Olasunkanmi.”

He added that the owner was contacted by the security supervisor on the instruction of the AVSEC Manager based on the phone number on the business card. On arrival at his destination in Port Harcourt, the owner instructed his protocol officer to collect the bag on his behalf.

“The owner of the bag initiated a video conversation with Adelakun affirming the identity of the protocol officer and thanked the Management and Staff of MMA2 for the honesty and professionalism displayed by them.”

Mumuni recalled that an AVSEC staff of MMA2 similarly in April found the sum of N2.3m misplaced by an Uyo-bound passenger on Ibom Airline, and the money was returned to him.

“All these actions are consistent with MMA2’s position of delivering the best services in the Nigerian aviation industry,” he said.