The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced the reopening of the airspace at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal One following a fire outbreak that disrupted operations on Monday.
Speaking to journalists, FAAN’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, confirmed that no lives were lost in the incident, although six persons sustained varying degrees of injuries. She disclosed that three international flights were diverted as a result of the fire, involving Emirates, British Airways, and Lufthansa.
According to Kuku, some airport operations were temporarily affected but were expected to resume fully within a short period. She explained that the immediate priority was to contain the fire and ensure the safety of passengers and airport personnel, while investigations into the cause of the incident continue.
“What is important is that we activated our emergency procedures and evacuated everyone. There were no fatalities due to the coordinated efforts of all agencies involved,” she said.
Kuku noted that the airport’s Emergency Operations Centre was promptly activated, with the airport manager serving as the Chief Safety and Security Officer in charge of coordinating the response. She added that inter-agency collaboration followed established emergency protocols, with support from relevant state authorities.
On the cause of the fire, the FAAN boss stated that preliminary findings suggested it started on the ground floor of the terminal, later escalating to the roof. She clarified that no renovation work was ongoing in the affected area at the time.
She further revealed that most flight departures and arrivals had been redirected, with departures largely moved to Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two. Four airlines are also expected to operate from a temporary terminal described as ready for use within days.
Kuku assured passengers that firefighters would remain on standby to address lingering smoke and prevent a recurrence, while structural engineers assess the building’s integrity.
