FAAN apologizes after traumatized woman shared life-threatening experience with airport escalator

By Biola Adebayo On Sep 5, 2022

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has admitted wrongdoing in the mechanical operation of the escalator at the Murtala Mohammed Airport which a victim described as life threatening.

A Twitter user @elvikoup on September 4, 2022 shared her experience with her five-year-old son who was anxious about using an escalator at the airport but it all turned sour.

The woman who said her “family is traumatized” also threatened legal actions against FAAN.

She had narrated, “I noticed the razor-sharp edges of the escalator and it was going very fast. I looked down and the very fast escalator had people tumbling on themselves. Humans started piling on each other. My reflex, I lifted my 5 year old in the air, he spread his legs high while I lay on my back.

“I joined the pile of humans at the base of the escalator. The only defense I had for myself was to raise my head so that only my back was bearing the grind of the escalators. A passenger snatched my five-year old from me.

“My nine-year old son, behind me, jumped over the railings and other passengers caught him. My husband was behind me and had managed to take a grip that only his back was scratched by the sharp edges. My daughter and Gloria, who were behind my husband, were running back up the escalators.”

She described the escalator as “death-trap” adding that it took over 40 minutes before the first aid team came to her rescue.

“I went to the hospital and I was given a tetanus injection. Gloria had an X-ray taken of her hand. The body ache, swelling on my back and legs is ongoing,” she narrated.

Life-Threatening Experience with Escalators at Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos.

Thread with pictures and videos attached.
On Saturday 3rd September 2022, I returned to Nigeria with my family. My excited 5 year old wanted to use the escalator instead of the stairs. pic.twitter.com/V7ugZU5pi2

— Elvi (@elvikioup) September 4, 2022

But FAAN said on Monday that it “takes full responsibility for the unfortunate incident.”

The Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, Mrs Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, made this known in a statement in Lagos on Monday.

The statement reads: “With respect to the above mentioned incident which occurred at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos Sept. 3, 2022.

The agency said it has reached out to the victim and is taking care of the injuries.

FAAN said, “With respect to the above mentioned incident which occurred at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Saturday, September 3, 2022.

“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria takes full responsibility for the unfortunate incident, and we hereby tender our apology to the family involved.

“Accordingly, We have also reached out to actively participate in the care for the injured.

“FAAN is reviewing the operating procedure for the equipment, to ensure that such sudden mechanical faults do not occur again.”