Theft happens at airports, and often it’s an inside job. However, usually it involves things that are valuable and easy to carry, like drugs, cash, and gold… and not runway lights. But I suppose there’s a first time for everything.
In this post:
Nigerian airport runway lights disappear
One of the runways at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria (LOS) currently isn’t fully functional. The reason? Well, some of the runway lights have been stolen just months after they were installed. It’s believed that airport workers were involved in the theft, and an investigation has now been launched to arrest those behind this and recover what’s missing.
So, what’s the backstory here? Lagos Airport has two sets of runways, with one being closer to the international terminal, and one being closer to the domestic terminal.
In November 2022, new lights were installed on the runway closest to the domestic terminal. This meant that planes could operate using that runway at night, while previously planes had to use the other runway, and then taxi a greater distance to get to and from the domestic terminal.
For the past few months, that runway had been undergoing maintenance. During that time, the criminals took advantage of that, and decided to steal part of the runway’s lighting system.
According to the NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions), it’s actually the PAPI (precision approach path indicator) lights that were stolen. These lights are important for pilots to be able to maintain the correct glidepath while approaching the runway.
So for the time being, pilots are warned that the PAPI lights for runway 18L are unserviceable. Currently this restriction applies through October 7, 2023, though presumably that timeline could change, depending how quickly the airport is able to fix this.
What do you do with stolen runway lights?!
Here’s the part of the story that puzzles me most. As I mentioned earlier, I can understand what would motivate people to steal things like jewelry, cash, drugs, etc., since those are things that are easy to hide, and also easy to resell.
But what on earth do you do with a stolen runway lighting system? I’d assume Heathrow and Schiphol aren’t scouring the black market to see where they can find some gently used PAPI lights? This also seems high risk, because it takes some time to steal them, and you also can’t easily conceal them. Yet somehow thieves seemingly got away with this, at least as of now?
Then there’s the whole question of how bad airside security is at Lagos Airport, when thieves can literally just steal the runway lights without anyone noticing. I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised, as this is the same airport where someone managed to jump on an aircraft’s wing to hitch a ride, just before it was supposed to take off…
Bottom line
One of Lagos Airport’s runways isn’t fully operational, after thieves stole the lighting system that helps planes land safely. The runway had been closed for maintenance, and during that time, some of the runway lights were stolen. Authorities believe it was an inside job, though as of now there have been no arrests.
What do you make of this Lagos Airport runway lighting theft?
"when thieves can literally just steal the runway lights without anyone noticing."
Ummm, not exactly. It's amazing what you can get done and how quickly it can happen, with the right incentives.
Useless article. Just reporting that it happened but doesn't have any additional details.
NOTAM=NOTICE TO AIRMEN
They could have stolen the runway.
Send them back to America! Fully stocked shelves and no prosecution. Thieve whatever you like and scream reparations!
Nothing surprises me about Nigeria.
No Nigerian Princess to the rescue?
Lagos Airport in particular and Nigeria as a whole I never want to set my foot in again. I remembered after my landing there was an power cut so just emergency light was available. With the constant power cuts the x ray mashines broke over time and we had to be manually strip searched for hours. Getting away from Lagos airport seemed like out of a doomsday film hundreds of locals were pushed back by...
Lagos Airport in particular and Nigeria as a whole I never want to set my foot in again. I remembered after my landing there was an power cut so just emergency light was available. With the constant power cuts the x ray mashines broke over time and we had to be manually strip searched for hours. Getting away from Lagos airport seemed like out of a doomsday film hundreds of locals were pushed back by local police shooting the air. I met a Turkish Diplomate who told me whenever his government wants to send him to Lagos he refuses. They moved the government to Abuja for good reasons, Lagos is non governable.
I think you haven't been to Lagos recently (as in last 20 years).
Sounds like the airport in Berlin rather than Lagos. When were you last in Nigeria? The 1990s?
Ehhh. Although I somewhat agree it could be governable. Most is more liked a country of caged animals from what I saw (in 2015). It's a different world. Overpopulated, corrupt government, lack of infrastructure, and everyone fighting for a little piece of the pie.
I can't help but wonder whether the thief might be connected to the contractor who will undoubtedly be hired eventually to install the replacement lights, under a generous government contract.
Brings to mind a memory in 89 in Algiers at the airport where all announcements were in French. My wife and I were learning French at the time and understandably had some difficulty in picking up the announcement for a gate change. To our defense, the same was true for many others waiting with us. Only when the gate agent came to look for us did we realise that our flight to Rome was departing....
Brings to mind a memory in 89 in Algiers at the airport where all announcements were in French. My wife and I were learning French at the time and understandably had some difficulty in picking up the announcement for a gate change. To our defense, the same was true for many others waiting with us. Only when the gate agent came to look for us did we realise that our flight to Rome was departing. The next thing we know the gate agents are escorting us to the ramp and then tells all of us to simply run behind the aircraft in hope that the pilot notices and stops! The funniest thing is that many of us do, as if we’re trying to get a bus driver’s attention! Good ole memories from Africa.
Or possibly the lights were "new", and were never installed? "Ordered" but never existed?
I can bet it is a theft of a long length of copper cable. There is scrap value to copper wire. I have heard of EV Charging stations having the (heavy) coper connectors stolen overnight.
I don't recall Ben doing any reviews of flights into Lagos or Lagos airport. Would love to see to a review, Ben. Just to see whether it's truly as bad people say it is.
The coverage makes it sound like the stolen lights were a set that runs along the length of the runway.
The PAPI lights are the set of four pairs of red and white lights located near the end of the runway. They tell pilots (via whether they appear red or white) whether they are above/on/below the glide path as they land. Point is, they are a single discrete set of lights, which makes it a little easier to imagine stealing them.
'But I suppose there’s a first time for everything' - laughs in Venezuelan! where the lights of my hometown airport were stolen many years ago. And since that, up to this day, we can't have dusk or night flights.
I missed a UA itinerary CCS-IAH-MAD all in J (on the last year UA operated in Venezuela), that departed from CCS at around 5:30am, because the only flight from my hometown (the day before, direct...
'But I suppose there’s a first time for everything' - laughs in Venezuelan! where the lights of my hometown airport were stolen many years ago. And since that, up to this day, we can't have dusk or night flights.
I missed a UA itinerary CCS-IAH-MAD all in J (on the last year UA operated in Venezuela), that departed from CCS at around 5:30am, because the only flight from my hometown (the day before, direct flight to CCS), scheduled around noon, got delayed until afternoon, cleared to take off to my hometown, but wasn't cleared to land because it arrived almost at dusk. The next option was a 5-6 hours ride by road, in the night.. which is a big no-no in Venezuela.
You cannot compare Japan, Bhutan, South Korea, and Singapore to any other countries when it comes to societal ills, especially theft. Three years after Japan had tsunami a decade ago, Japanese returned $$$ and gold to the banks when they found it. I am skeptical that any US cities that face no theft or violence problems. Africa is the richest continent in natural resources that the world needs. Yet, I am not aware of any...
You cannot compare Japan, Bhutan, South Korea, and Singapore to any other countries when it comes to societal ills, especially theft. Three years after Japan had tsunami a decade ago, Japanese returned $$$ and gold to the banks when they found it. I am skeptical that any US cities that face no theft or violence problems. Africa is the richest continent in natural resources that the world needs. Yet, I am not aware of any African country that can boast about its robust economy or safety/security. You will not advance in life if you continue to find scapegoats for your misfortunes after centuries of existence. Human resources, both leadership and civilians, determine the country's destiny, strength and prosperity. Africa brings to mind of poverty, warfare, violence and deadly diseases when it is a subject of the talk.
We can't ignore the impact that colonialism has and still has on many countries in Africa. The current leaders in most countries are just a bi-product of colonial governments and the theft that used to happen in that time. All the big wealth and minerals are still controlled by foreign conglomerates, which is due to governments being paid off by the western world and currently China. So no, its not scapegoating, but history plays an...
We can't ignore the impact that colonialism has and still has on many countries in Africa. The current leaders in most countries are just a bi-product of colonial governments and the theft that used to happen in that time. All the big wealth and minerals are still controlled by foreign conglomerates, which is due to governments being paid off by the western world and currently China. So no, its not scapegoating, but history plays an important part in where we are today, and the only way this will change is if there is a whole systemic change across the board and leadership. Which, as we have seen in the past, is also hard to achieve due to the current worldwide political dynamics as the countries that are benefiting off Africa's wealth want to keep it as it is to profit off the continent. Just look at examples such as Patrice Lumumba of DRC. So its a whole vicious cycle unfortunately and not as simple as 'playing the victim card' or 'scapegoating' when you analyse all aspects.
Rwanda is rather safe.
Welcome to the good old days of PANAM's (yes PANAM, most of you weren't born) daily East African 747, Nairobi - Lagos - Monrovia - Dakar - New York, where the announcement was made when landing in Lagos: "Transit passengers may step off if they wish to do so but we strongly advise them to remain on board".
I never understood why they were not simply forbidding to get off as they did in Monrovia,...
Welcome to the good old days of PANAM's (yes PANAM, most of you weren't born) daily East African 747, Nairobi - Lagos - Monrovia - Dakar - New York, where the announcement was made when landing in Lagos: "Transit passengers may step off if they wish to do so but we strongly advise them to remain on board".
I never understood why they were not simply forbidding to get off as they did in Monrovia, since I regularly saw people disembark, not return in time, and be replaced by people who obviously were on a waiting list but had paid a big dash. The plane was always full in all 3 classes. The PANAM staff in Lagos must have been on the take...
Welcome to the good old days of the East African PANAM daily run (Yes, PANAM, most of you weren't born), Nairobi-Lagos-Monrovia-Dakar-New York on a 747, where the following announcement was made,,,"Transit passengers are allowed to disembark if they wish to do so, but we strongly advise them to remain on board..."
I always wondered why they simply did not prohibit disembarking as they did in Monrovia. This being said, I did see transit passengers get...
Welcome to the good old days of the East African PANAM daily run (Yes, PANAM, most of you weren't born), Nairobi-Lagos-Monrovia-Dakar-New York on a 747, where the following announcement was made,,,"Transit passengers are allowed to disembark if they wish to do so, but we strongly advise them to remain on board..."
I always wondered why they simply did not prohibit disembarking as they did in Monrovia. This being said, I did see transit passengers get off the plane and not return in time, replaced by locals who obviously were on a waiting list and had paid a big dash. (the plane was always full in all 3 classes).
Are these the African despots that use Wagner PMC to help them stay in power and give away mineral/oil rights as compensation?
What airport is the photo of? It certainly doesn't look like an aerial view of the Lagos Airport I know.
I believe it's the Dade-Collier airport in the Everglades, Florida.
It is a photo of the airport west of Lagos, Florida, USA aka Miami and Miami-Collier Training Airport. Like Lagos, it had high hopes to be world class (hosting supersonic jets) but never did. Like the city of Lagos, Miami is wild!
The truth of the matter is some societies are corrupt and dishonest. Some try to say that everyone is equal. However, it is far more likely to be robbed in Lagos than the poor sections of Taipei or Singapore.
Regarding "scouring the black market", perhaps one of the countries with heavy trade embargoes will be interested. Perhaps Tehran airport is in need of upgrade these!
In a country as poor as Nigeria, people are desperate and will do anything to bring food on a table. I have been there, had contacts with locals, and it is unbelievable what they do just to have food and water. So it's not a surprise. But we can thank colonial powers for it...
No, we can thank the criminal mentality that pervades Nigeria for it. Stop playing the victim card.
Yeah, right.... they were born that way? It has nothing to do with decades of colonization, sowing division between locals, arming and bribing certain groups, and all just to get their hands on natural resources...
Why do these things (or similar) hardly ever happen in Switzerland? Or Tokyo? Or Portugal? Or Utah?
Probably hardly ever happens in Lagos too
HA... You've never been to Nigeria...
You're telling me that runway light theft is widespread in Lagos???
I'm waiting for Johnny to say "just kidding!" and turn the lights back on.
When the Israeli air force rescued the hostages in Entebee, they brought their own runway lights with them in case, after the first plane touched down, the Ugandan's shut the lights.
Maybe Nigeria can ask the Israelis for a stop gap solution ;)
I remember many years ago when a guy was caught trying to steal the PTV screen out of the seatback in front of him on arrival into Lagos.
The security guy who was called to deal with him asked "you know this doesn't work anywhere else if it's not attached to the seat?"
The wannabe thief laughed. "My broda, you know this and I know this. The man I will sell this to however, will he know this?"
"My broda, you know this and I know this. The man I will sell this to however, will he know this?"
I guess this logic is why there are so many Nigerian prince.
Given how aviation-obsessed many of us probably are, I'm willing to bet a lot of us would think it'd be cool to work one of these lights into an interior
Usually it's to sell copper and other metals used in the construction - people steal catalytic converters for similar rare -earth reasons.