The Nigerian Federal Airports Authority (FAAN) has requested the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to avoid the airports and refrain from interfering with flight operations due to their complaints in Owerri.

This was announced on Sunday in Lagos by Capt. Hamisu Yadudu, the managing director of FAAN.

Recall that the unions allegedly had their May Day rally disrupted by thugs on Wednesday, causing flight operations to be delayed to Owerri.

Yadudu criticized the unions for interfering with airline operations.

“They wrote to us that our workers would come and picket the Lagos Airport and they should not allow flights to fly Owerri Airport because their members were harassed by Imo State Government.

“However, for any organisation that is licensed by the government to behave in personal interest and not national interest, is very unfortunate.

“It has nothing to do with labour or workers in Nigeria; in fact, they undermined aviation and other workers because people lost their flights. I pray no one dies.

“The more you distress aviation, the more you are creating vulnerability for uncertainty.

“What happened that day is very regrettable and just a sign of ego massage and I think that has no place in aviation,” he said.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Act, which deems aviation to be an essential service, is violated by the unions' action, according to Yadudu.

He claimed that by carrying out the action, the unions harmed the country and added that FAAN would no longer allow such behavior.

The Managing Director claimed that he had written to the Ministry of Aviation to inform them that the aviation industry needed to be protected from the NLC and TUC's actions.

Yadudu claimed that for operations to flourish, the sector needed the support of stakeholders.