Protest by visually impaired persons grounds traffic at Lagos Airport

Activities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, were disrupted on Monday after visually impaired persons staged a protest over the closure of their training school.

The protesters, representing the Farmcraft Centre for the Blind, carried placards and a banner of the institution as they blocked major access roads to both the domestic and international wings of the airport.

The demonstration, which began around 10:45 a.m., caused a massive gridlock that left hundreds of air travellers, aviation workers, motorists, and commuters stranded on routes linking the airport to various parts of Lagos.

Some of the air travellers were seen hopping onto commercial motorcycles whose operators charged as much as N5,000 from the tollgate near the international wing to the domestic terminals to meet their flights.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Ltd, operator of Terminal Two (MMA2) of the airport, apologised to those who experienced inconveniences and flight schedule disruptions.

FAAN and Bi-Courtney went a step further to advise them to ‘’seek alternative routes, confirm flight schedules with airlines and remain patient.’’

The protesters, led by Kelly Egbere (aka Kelly Blind), said they were angry that the government had been lax in reopening the school, which has branches in parts of Lagos state, since it was shut on June 7 last year.

They vowed to continue the protest till the government provided a concrete response on the school’s reopening.

The placard-bearing protesters, however, began dispersing around 4 pm, after Egbere led a team to a closed-door meeting with Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Sununu.

Before the meeting the protesters who displayed placards with inscriptions like ‘Reopen our school, help the blind to live well, ’ ‘We are appealing for the reopening of the Nigeria Framcraft Centre for the Blind,’ said government’s failure to reopen the institution after several appeals had denied them educational opportunities and forcing many of them to resort to street begging.

One of their leaders, who gave his name simply as Dolor said: “We are angry because we have no welfare, and most of us have to beg to survive.

“Our school has been shut for a long time despite repeated appeals to the government. We have written letters, visited offices in Abuja, but nothing has been done.

“You can see the blind and disabled people; we are angry. A lot of Nigerians see us as beggars. This is our school that gave us dignity, and it has been shut down without reason.”

Dolor, said they staged the protest to draw President Bola Tinubu’s attention to their plight.

FAAN, in a statement by its spokesperson Obiageli Orah, said: “Due to an ongoing protest by the Farmcraft Centre for the Blind, traffic congestion is currently impacting access roads to the airport.

“We apologise for the inconvenience and advise travellers to stay updated through official channels.”

Bi-Courtney’s Head of Corporate Communications, Ajoke Yinka-Olawuyi, said their management was deeply concerned by the impact of the development on passengers.

She added: “While we reassure you that all airport operations continue as usual, we recognise that any disruption to your travel plans causes significant inconvenience and frustration.

“Our members of staff and security teams are actively monitoring the situation and working diligently to minimise disruptions while ensuring a smooth experience for all travellers.”

Although the protest eased at about 4 pm yesterday, the gridlock still stretched to the metropolis to the ever-busy Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Agege Motor Road inward Awolowo Way, Ikeja and adjoining roads.

An air passenger trying to reach the airport took it upon himself to share an urgent message regarding the situation:

He said, “If you are coming to the airport from Oshodi, don’t pass through Hajj Camp or NAHCO. ‘’Please go through PWD. No movement since morning. No going in, no coming out. If you don’t have any business at the airport, stay away.

“Visually impaired protesters have taken over. People are trekking. Passengers are missing their flight. So don’t move. Don’t come to the airport if you don’t have anything unless you are ready to trek today.”

A motorist on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way lamented spending more than three hours in traffic.

“I have been in this traffic for over three hours. I left my home at I pm for a 2 pm appointment, but see me here by 4 pm. This is very frustrating.”

Police operatives from the Airport Command, supported by a team from the state command, were seen ensuring orderly conduct by the protesters.

Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were also on the ground.

*Minister promises school’s reopening, welfare support

Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Sununu assured that the institution would soon be reopened.

Sununu, who flew from Abuja, spoke after he met with leaders of the protesters.

He explained that the school was temporarily shut after an inspection revealed that its condition was “not optimal” for visually impaired students.

The minister added that funds for its upgrade were captured in the 2025 Appropriation Act.

“It is better to suspend the school temporarily than to risk lives. Once the funds are available, we will upgrade the structure, and the students will return in a better atmosphere.

“The President believes in listening to Nigerians and addressing their aspirations. Today’s meeting shows our commitment to providing immediate and long-term solutions.”

Egbere said they were satisfied with the minister’s assurances.

“We are very happy that the minister came from Abuja to address us. He told us that all we asked for would be sorted out. The school will be reopened, and our welfare will be looked into. ‘’