Nigeria’s main gateway Murtala Mohammed International Airport was partially opened for flight operations Monday, the first day of the indefinite strike called to protest high fuel prices in Africa’s most populous nation.
Most international airlines, including Middle East Airlines, EgyptAir and RwandAir, operated their flights in and out of the airport, unlike their domestic counterparts.
At the domestic wing of the airport, there were no flights, as the entrance to the MMA2 and the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) were locked.
The relevant aviation unions said they allowed a few international airlines to operate, in line with the rules of the International Civil Aviation Organisation ( ICAO), that airborne aircraft should be allowed to land for safety and security reasons.
Only a few Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs), who fall within the management cadre, are operating, alongside officers of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Passengers at the international airport were forced to go through intense screening before they were allowed into the departure hall.
Officials of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), who called the strike, led protesters to the airport to ensure compliance with the strike.