Court Jails 14 Over Cable Theft At Lagos Airport Construction Site

A Magistrate Court in Lagos has sentenced fourteen individuals for their involvement in cable theft and vandalisation at the Terminal 1 construction site of Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

The defendants were arraigned on multiple charges following their arrest at about 7:00 p.m. on April 20, 2026.

Their apprehension was carried out through a coordinated and intelligence-driven operation by security personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), working in collaboration with the Joint Military Task Force (JMTF) and other agencies stationed at the airport.

Delivering judgment, the court handed the convicts one month imprisonment on the first count, six months on the second count, and twelve months on the third count, with the sentences set to run concurrently.

The matter was, however, adjourned to June 16 for further proceedings concerning one of the defendants who contested the charges.

In a related case, two other individuals were brought before the court over the alleged theft of alcohol.

Although both initially pleaded guilty, they later disputed aspects of the prosecution’s claims, prompting the court to adjourn the case to June 30 for continuation.

Meanwhile, a juvenile connected to a similar offence was also present during proceedings.

Authorities confirmed that the minor has been returned to the police for further handling in accordance with established legal procedures governing juvenile cases.

The convictions underscore ongoing efforts by authorities to clamp down on vandalism and theft targeting critical infrastructure at the airport.