The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria says Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State expressly disregarded the COVID-19 protocol put in place to forestall the spread of the virus, at the domestic wing of the Port Harcourt International Airport in Rivers State.
FAAN lamented that the governor and his entourage refused allegedly to have their temperature checked at the airport on Tuesday.
This allegation would make Governor Fintiri as the second VIP to have blatantly violated the COVID-19 protocols after former Zamfara governor, Abdulaziz Yari allegedly breached protocols at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport last week when he refused an officer from the environment department from disinfecting his luggage.
FAAN on its official Twitter handle said, “The management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria hereby strongly condemns the conduct of the Governor of Adamawa State Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who arrived Port Harcourt International Airport aboard aircraft 5N-IZY at 17:08 hours on 14th July 2020 with eight others, and who flagrantly refused to observe the airport security and public health protocols as directed by the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force on #COVID19 by refusing to have his temperature checked, or being sanitised by the health officials,” it said.
“His whole entourage of eight did exactly as he did. The team that came to receive them drove right through the barricades up to the terminal building ignoring traffic and aviation security instructions.
“This irresponsible act endangers all other airport users, it is unacceptable, and as such it has also been duly escalated.
“FAAN hereby cautions all airport users, especially our esteemed VIPs, to please respect the Presidential directive by observing airport security and public health travel protocols put in place to protect all air travellers against acts of unlawful interference, infection and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
