Drama As Adamawa Governor, Fintiri Refuses Temperature Check At Port Harcourt Airport, Rejects Sanitizers

Ahmadu Fintiri

Sun News reports that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has accused the governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, for refusing to observe the airport security and public health protocols as directed by the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID19 by refusing to have his temperature checked, or being sanitised by the health officials.

The agency said Fintiri arrived Port Harcourt International Airport aboard aircraft 5N-IZY, at 17:08 hrs on 14th July 2020 with eight people in his entourage who did exactly as he did.

Fintiri’s team was also reported to have driven right through the barricades up to the terminal building ignoring traffic and aviation security instructions when they came to receive him.

The agency said the governor’s action is unacceptable, and as such it has also been duly escalated.

“We strongly condemn the conduct of the Governor of Adamawa state, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who arrived Port Harcourt international Airport aboard aircraft 5N-IZY, at 17:08 hrs on 14th July 2020 with 8 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 (PTF) on COVID19 by refusing to have his temperature checked, or being sanitised by the health officials.

“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,” the agency said.

Fintiri is the second high profile person that has been accused by the agency of flouting guidelines this week.

On Wednesday, July 15, FAAN accused the immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari for violating public health procedures on travels at the Aminu Kano International Airport on Saturday 11th July 2020.

The agency said Yari refused to adhere to the protocols and procedures put in place by the Federal Government through the PTF on COVID19 by forcefully pushing away an officer of the Environment department when he insisted that his luggage must be disinfected.

The former Governor reportedly refused that his luggage will be disinfected, saying that the airport officer should have known he is a VIP. According to the Minister of Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika, the COVID-19 flight guidelines were approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.