*FG confirms development, blames switch-over
By KEMI KASUMU
A viral video has shown the moment Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos was hit by darkness due to power outage that travellers flying into and out of Nigeria described as shameful.
They complained that “after 64 years of independence Nigeria has yet to get anything right” one of which was pointed out to be situation where a major interface that the country has with the world would be allowed, for whatever indefensible reason, to plung into darkness caused by power outage.
The blackout, which reportedly happened on Friday night of February 2, 2024, led to passengers navigating through the terminal using their mobile phones for light, as shown in a video flying around on social media on Saturday February 3.
In the video watched and carefully listened to and studied by The DEFENDER was a voice of an unnamed speaker, who said:
“This is Murtala Muhammed Airport Nigeria and today’s date is 2nd of February 2024. They have just taken the light at the airport, there is power outage at the airport. So, you can imagine what it looks like. At an international airport there is no power running. No light. What a shame! What a shame!! What a shame!!! It’s unbelievable.
“Nigeria! Nigeria!! After 64 years of independence, they still can’t get it right. Corruption everywhere. It’s unbelievable. This is very, very sad. Very sad,” the unnamed voice on the video complained.
FG confirms airport blackout
In the meantime, the Federal Government, in an official statement on Saturday, confirmed the unfortunate development that bedeviled a once-upon-a-time country cekebrated as Giant of Africa and is said cannot happen in smaller Republic of Benin where, not only government will find or take excuse for human-related system failure but that the cotton country will also ensure no such situation occurs at any time except punishment is apportioned.
The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had reportedly clarified that the outage occurred during the process of switching power sources after losing electricity from the national grid.
The agency assured that it is diligently working to restore the supply.
The statement said, “We experienced a 2-3 minute outage at Murtala Muhammed International Airport yesterday, February 2nd, 2024 while switching over to our backup power supply after losing power from the Grid.
“The electrical team has identified the challenges with the automatic switchover and is working judiciously to restore this immediately.
“We have put a plan in place leveraging the alternative sources of power to ensure we do not have a recurrence.”
Questions that have come up include, “to what extent is it sweetening to the ears, that electricity from national grid will be allowed to go off at the time in a country that is reputed for being the most populous in Africa?”
