Passengers Stranded As Edo State Government Shuts Down Benin Airport

Flight and commercial activities at the Benin Airport were grounded on Tuesday (Yesterday) courtesy  Edo state Government.

The Edo State Government, through its Inland Revenue Services, has shut down the Airport, over evasion of taxes by airport workers.

However, in a shift reaction, the spokesperson, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Yakubu Dati, described the development as an ``invasion``.

According to: Dati ``We learnt early this morning that some people belonging to the Edo State Inland Revenue Service shut the Benin Airport over what our staff described as non-payment of taxes.

 ``This is coming to us as a rude shock, because they could have explored all lines of dialogue, instead of just taking the laws into their hands.

 ``To close Benin Airport is not good for the security and safety of the airport environment, ``.

Dati explained that the laws setting up FAAN exempted it from paying taxes and tenement rates.  

``Despite this, the Edo State Inland Revenue Service went ahead to close the airport ``, he said

The spokesperson said that airlines operating the route, including Aero and Arik, could not fly to the city either from Lagos or Abuja and said it was not clear when the airport would be reopened, but urged passengers and other airport workers to exercise patience.