In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter) Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, gave voice to what many international travellers in Nigeria have experienced. He revealed that he had received several complaints about officials of government agencies posted to the airports who beg and extort money from international travellers’ arriving or departing the country.

The minister expressed regret at the actions of those he called “unscrupulous persons” who give all of us a bad image. He disclosed he was working with other ministers and arms of government responsible for the agencies posting personnel to the airports.

More importantly, he revealed that the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu – who coordinates all the agencies represented at the airports – had called a meeting over the issue. He promised that “we shall soon unveil practical steps being taken to stem this ugly tide.”

It is disheartening to see men and women in paramilitary uniforms begging passengers departing or arriving for money or trying to extort money from them. This usually happens at various units for check-in, passports and visa scrutiny, luggage and other cargo shipment at our international airports, especially in Lagos and Abuja.

Nearly everyone who has been through these airports has complained about the beggarly behaviours of our men in uniform who either politely ask you “Wetin you bring come for us sir” or “Oga you’re welcome, sir, we’re here o.” Others more daring simply create bottlenecks to frustrate passengers to ensure they part with some cash.

According to the 2022 Air Transportation Report by the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria recorded 8.7 million domestic and international arrivals and departures through its airports in 2021. This figure is evidence that the airport extortion rackets has become profitable crime against Nigeria and Nigerians.

At the heart of this extortion scandal are operatives of the Nigeria Immigration Services, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and officials of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria.

The international airport is a gateway to a country and visitors will get their first impression of the country when they land at the airport. It is of critical importance that ethical, security and safety standards are not compromised.

In countries that value international visitors, operatives and airport staff welcome you with a smile and try to make your entry as pleasant as possible. But here everyone is looking to prey on you, and it must be scary for international visitors.

There have been viral videos of operatives at our airports demanding money illegally from passengers arriving in the country. We must not allow those Keyamo called “unscrupulous persons” to be at the airports and all official entry points to the country. A traveller starts loving or hating a country from the point of entry. The attitude of some of our airport personnel is shameful and embarrassing to the country and it must stop.

Whatever has to be done must be done fast. On this menace at the airports, the NSA must show the same zeal he showed in pursuing corrupt persons when he was the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Several measures had been taken against extortion of travellers at the airports in the past but they were not effective enough to stop it. The NSA must take more drastic measures that could include tougher sanctions against anyone found to be involved in the scandalous behaviour. Travellers could also be encouraged to report their experience at the airports directly to the office of the NSA.

Setting up task forces to enforce ethical standards and regulations at the airports has not reduced the incidence of extortion and begging. It appears to be an institutional habit that operatives and FAAN officials learn as part of the job when posted to airports. There have been reports of operatives lobbying to be posted to the airports due to the corruption taken place there.

It would take more than threats of sanction to change the orientation of operatives and officials at our international airports. We must move from threat to actual sanctions, which must include immediate dismissal from service. The process of sanctioning erring operatives must be swift and less cumbersome. A situation where erring operatives are investigated for months does not augur well for service discipline.

This is the time to get it right.