Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, has given Peter Obi, one of Nigeria’s leading opposition leaders, a week to publicly apologise to airport workers and pay a N25,000 fine for an alleged parking violation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, warning that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would be directed to take further action if he fails to comply.
The directive follows an internal investigation ordered by the minister after Obi alleged earlier this week that the tyres of his vehicle were unjustly clamped at the Abuja airport, which he described as part of a broader pattern of intimidation and persecution by the Federal Government.
Obi had recounted the incident while speaking at a public event, saying his vehicle was singled out despite other vehicles being parked in the same area. He argued that the action reflected what he called increasing harassment of opposition figures and questioned why airport officials targeted his vehicle.
However, Keyamo, in a statement issued on Saturday on his X handle, said a review of CCTV footage from the airport showed that Obi’s account was inaccurate and that airport officials merely enforced established parking and security regulations.
