Three men arrested for allegedly touting and illegally soliciting passengers around the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, have been sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment by the Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile) Court.
The convicts, Unaegbu Friday, 37; Samuel Nnani, 46; and Friday Matthew, 25, were arrested between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. last Wednesday by security personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) along the airport corridors.
The prosecutor, Mrs Oluwabusola Omotunde, told the court that the defendants unlawfully entered restricted areas of the airport corridor and engaged in touting and loitering by rendering unsolicited assistance to passengers.
They were arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on breach of peace and unlawful entry into a restricted area to engage in touting, contrary to the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
In his ruling, Chief Magistrate F.J. Adefioye found the defendants guilty on all three counts and sentenced each of them accordingly.
The court sentenced the defendants to one month’s imprisonment on Count One and three months each on Counts Two and Three.
The court ordered that the sentences should run consecutively, bringing the total term to seven months’ imprisonment.
Reacting to the judgment, the Coordinator of the Mobile Court, Mr Olufemi Adekunle, reiterated the Lagos State Government’s zero tolerance for touting, particularly around airports and bus terminals.
Adekunle said the Mobile Court exercise would be sustained to ensure orderliness and safety along public corridors.
He urged members of the public to report the activities of touts around airports, bus terminals and other public facilities through the appropriate channels.
He also advised passengers to patronise only licensed and officially designated airport taxi and service operators at approved points.
“Any case of harassment by touts should be reported to the nearest security post,” he said.
The state government maintained that the enforcement was aimed at promoting orderliness, safety and a more secure environment for passengers and other users of public facilities.
