MMIA fire: FAAN board orders structural audit, says no casualties recorded

The Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Thursday ordered a comprehensive structural audit of the affected terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), following a fire outbreak that disrupted operations earlier this week.

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FAAN’s Board Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, described the incident as a source of concern to the board and other stakeholders but said swift emergency response prevented casualties and stabilised the situation.

The fire occurred at Terminal 1 of the airport, one of Nigeria’s busiest international gateways.

Mr Ganduje said members of the board visited the site to independently assess the level of damage and reassure the public that safety remains FAAN’s core operational value.

“When we had the fire outbreak at the international airport here in Lagos, it was an issue of great concern,” he said, noting that the incident affected facilities used by employees and passengers.

He added that a firsthand inspection was necessary to ensure transparency and accountability in the response process.

Emergency response and containment

The chairman commended FAAN’s emergency response teams for containing the blaze, stating that firefighters remained at the scene until the fire was fully extinguished.

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Although some equipment was affected, he confirmed that no fatalities were recorded and that the situation has been brought under control.

Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.

FAAN’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, said engineers would conduct a detailed structural assessment of the affected terminal to evaluate its load-bearing integrity, electrical systems and other critical infrastructure.

She said restoration efforts would be guided strictly by engineering and safety standards, adding that reopening timelines would depend on technical clearance.

READ ALSO: MMIA Fire: Keyamo announces demolition of Terminal 1

According to FAAN, post-incident safety audits are mandatory after major disruptions to airport infrastructure.

During the visit, board members also inspected ongoing remodelling works at the international terminal. Mr Ganduje said the upgrades align with broader aviation modernisation efforts and expressed confidence that the reforms would continue despite the setback caused by the fire.

He thanked emergency responders and the media for their timely reporting of the incident and its containment.

While operations were temporarily affected, FAAN said passenger safety remains non-negotiable as structural evaluations and recovery efforts continue.