By Abiola Olawale
A wave of anxiety swept through the Akure Airport environment on Sunday, March 15, 2026, following a security operation that led to the arrest of four suspected bandits.
The suspects were apprehended within the airport’s vicinity after a dramatic pursuit that saw them breaching the facility’s outer boundaries.
The security scare began when local farmers working near the Eleyewo community, which borders the airport, sighted armed men on motorcycles.
According to eyewitness accounts, the farmers fled in terror toward the airport’s operational fence, with some reportedly reaching the edge of the runway to seek help.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has also confirmed the development.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, said the arrests followed a distress alert that suspicious individuals were sighted behind the airport perimeter towards the Eleyewo community.
“Security personnel comprising FAAN’s Aviation Security (AVSEC), the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, and other local security outfits immediately launched a joint search operation,” Agbebire said.
He added that some individuals attempted to flee the area, but four suspects were eventually apprehended and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Area Command for further interrogation.
The authority commended the “swift collaboration among aviation security personnel, the military, the police, and local security groups, including Amotekun and community vigilantes, whose joint efforts led to the arrest,” and emphasised the importance of strengthening airport perimeter protection.
FAAN stated that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, with support from the Presidency, has accelerated the provision of modern perimeter fencing and enhanced security infrastructure at airports nationwide.
“Work has already commenced in phases to ensure that airports under FAAN are better secured against unlawful access and other security threats,” Agbebire said.
It also reassured travellers and airport host communities of its “unwavering commitment to maintaining the safety and security of all airport facilities nationwide.”
