15th October, 2010
Two Chinese citizens were, yesterday, arrested by the police for taking photographs of the vicinity around the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, in Lagos, South West Nigeria.
Their passports were also seized by the State Security Service, SSS, attached to the presidential lounge at the Lagos airport. The incident happened while Nigerian first Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, was at the presidential lounge.
The Chinese citizens had just landed at the Lagos International airport and were on their way to Salvation Bus Stop along Opebi-Road in Ikeja when the incident happened.
They were sighted by a policeman attached to the Lagos Airport Police Command, taking photographs.
Some security operatives attached to President Jonathan’s wife were positioned along the airport road by the presidential lounge and were caught in the camera. They then arrested the Chinese for ‘snapping security operatives’.
The Chinese citizens told journalists that they had come to Nigeria to attend their friend’s birthday party close to Salvation Bus Stop in Ikeja and were taking random photographs to compare Nigeria with China.
They were in a Kia Picanto car, driven by a Nigerian, whose identity card was also seized by the SSS.
The Chinese later invited their lawyer and they all headed to the Airport Police Command. It was not clear what the police will charge them with, though a media report claimed that they will be charged with espionage.
Meanwhile, security was tight yesterday at the presidential lounge while Nigeria’s First Lady was there.
Accredited journalists who work at the presidential lounge were not allowed in until Patience Jonathan left.
The security operatives told journalists that they were ordered not to allow anybody in the lounge until the First Lady was airborne.
Since the Abuja bomb blast, security has been tight around the airport. Cars are screened and loiterers are sent back by the Air Force and the police.
A mild drama occurred yesterday when the exhaust of a passing car made a loud noise. policemen turned in the direction of the car, thinking the sound was a bomb blast. They all laughed after the car was far gone.
—Simon Ateba