AVSEC officers recover missing N2.35m at Lagos Airport

Aviation Security (AVSEC) officers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal II (MMA2), Lagos, have recovered a missing N2.35 million cash and vital documents belonging to a passenger.

The Guardian learnt that the lost items were contained in a luggage left unattended at the terminal, and in error, taken by another passenger.

AVSEC Manager at the facility, Olatubosun Okeowo, yesterday explained that the drama occurred when an Uyo-bound passenger, George Etuk, who just returned from the United States, declared a bag missing.

It was gathered that the passenger was at the Ibom Airline check-in counter alongside other intending passengers, and along the line, “he got carried away and lost concentration on his bag.”

During the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) investigation by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) AVSEC’s team, “it was discovered that the bag was accidentally picked up by a fellow passenger.”

Okeowo said: “During our CCTV investigation, it was discovered that the bag belonging to Mr George Etuk was accidentally picked up by another intending passenger with the same airline. They were not aware at all. But after the flight was delayed, and the passengers had to find means to relax ahead of the rescheduled time, the anomaly came to the fore.

“The other passenger, who took the baggage unknowingly, too, had disappeared. On receiving the prompt message, our AVSEC team immediately swung into action to unravel what went wrong. With the aid of the CCTV, we were able to identify what happened and my duty supervisor and his team quickly went after the man who picked the bag.

“The man was intercepted at the Drop Off Zone area when he was about leaving for a nearby hotel to relax since the flight was rescheduled for 2200hrs.”

The bag was then retrieved and handed over to the owner, who confirmed that the bag’s content of N2.35 million was intact. Etuk expressed appreciation for a thorough job and the professional manner with which the investigation was carried out, saying “their quick intervention was commendable because it saved the day.”