By Luka Binniyat
ABUJA —  Last Sunday, scores of youth from Ifira village, Igabi Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State, who had made a habit of taking an illegally carved short-cut  that passes through the  perimeter fence of the Kaduna International Airport, Kaduna, were livid when they discovered that one of the “routes” had been blocked by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

Alh. Garba Isah

The youth, numbering about 50, found another opening  and stormed the Airport tarmac through it, just about the time an IRS Airline plane was taxiing for takeoff around 10aM.

But contrary to earlier reports the youths did not go near the plane and as such, could not have forcefully or otherwise, stopped the pilot from taking off.

The Chief District Head of Ifira, Alh. Garba Isah, said lack of accessible road, water, electricity and not a secondary school for the estimated 20,000 strong community of Ifira, while their land used as airport  for 33 years, has everything, ignited their frustration and the protest but without his consent.

The Kaduna State Government, through the Special Adviser to  Gov, Patrick Yakowa, on Media and Public Affairs Mr, Rueben Buhari, told Saturday Vanguard, that it had awarded some  rural road contracts last week in the Ifira as one of the beneficiaries, while two new  secondary schools are earmarked for the it this year.

Alhaji Mamuda Zakari, the Airport Manager of Kaduna Airport, agreed in an interview with Saturday Vanguard that Ifira has no access road  and as such, the villagers  have taken to using broken parts of airport as thoroughfare.

He said he was surprised at the attitude of the villagers that Sunday morning because, “we have been enjoying excellent relationship with them”, he said.

He however denied that the protesters held up the IRS flight from flying.

“I was not there, but it was confirmed to me that the pilot was moving for take-off when he saw a crowd in the aircraft manoeuvring area,  and that made him to stop to find out what they were doing. He called the control tower to inform them about the approaching crowd”, he said.

“They did not go near the Aircraft but marched straight to the Airport arrival/departure chanting, bamu yarda ba (we will not let this happen)”

He told Saturday Vanguard that his attention was called to the development, and that he promptly arrived the scene to calm down the youth.

“They acted out of ignorance and without the knowledge of their local leaders.”

“They did not know that by cutting the wire mesh fencing of the airport, and using it as road, it  was not only illegal, but dangerous to everyone’s safety.”

He said that as a result of the concern expressed by Nigerians over the porous  nature of Nigerian Airports, he had sought permission from  FAAN Headquarters to fence all broken parts of the fence which is some kilometres wide in area

According to him, as soon as he got permission, he made remedial arrangement for  the grading of the road they have abandoned for the illegal short cut through the airport graded.

He said that he had secured a grader for that purpose and had scheduled a meeting with the villagers for Monday only for the youths to start protesting.

“It was before Monday that the youth did what they did. But, when we called their Chief and explained why we had to do the fencing and what we have in place for them, they were satisfied, and the chief apologised on their behalf”, he said.

Sarkin (District  Head) of  Ifira, Alh. Garba Isah, told Saturday Vanguard that the incident was unfortunate, but that the village had endued too much of lack of attention since the construction of the airport  33 years ago.

He said that the youth did not consult anyone before they embarked on the protest. He also denied that the youth held the IRS plane hostage with its passengers.

“What you people (not Saturday Vanguard) wrote that they stopped the plane from flying for 30 minutes is not correct”, he said.

“We have settled the matter with FAAN, and I have confirmed that the road will be fixed by them. But this is coming after 33 years of promise by FAAN”, he said.

“The airport is sitting on our ancestral lands, blocking off ancient trading routes between us and Zaria, and Kaduna areas”, he said.

“This airport has made us to suffer neglect than many communities of Igabi”, he said.
“They built 15 primary Schools for us, but we don’t have one secondary schools  and our children  have to travel 35 kilometre to Kawo where the nearest secondary school is.”

“Look at this airport, the only two of our sons are working there as junior staff, with several idle hands around”, he said.