Fuming Fani-Kayode says: I’d ban Yari from airports if I were minister over alleged assault

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has said he would ban former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, from using any of the nation’s airports if he were still in charge of the ministry.

Fani-Kayode was reacting to Yari’s alleged assault on an environmental officer enforcing the COVID-19 protocol at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State on Saturday.

The airport worker, according to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, had tried to disinfect the luggage of the former governor who was a passenger but Yari pushed him away, claiming he was a very important personality.

FAAN in a statement on Wednesday condemned the act which it described as “irresponsible” and “unacceptable” noting that Yari “blatantly violated the public health procedures on COVID-19”.

Reacting to the development, Fani-Kayode, who was Aviation Minister from November 7, 2006, to May 29, 2007, said the former Zamfara governor would have been detained if he had tried such act when he was in charge of the industry.

He tweeted, “Now he has had the nerve and audacity to assault FAAN official at Aminu Kano Airport who tried to check & spray his luggage with disinfectant and he also stubbornly and violently refused to follow the COVID-19 protocols put in place by the Federal Government on the grounds that he is a VIP.

“If I were still Ministry of Aviation and he tried this nonsense with any of those in my Ministry or parastatals I would ban him from the airports and from flying in Nigeria and if he ever assaulted any of my officials or staff I would have him arrested, chained, detained, prosecuted and jailed.” Punch