Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has responded to claims by Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi that he was harassed by airport officials, alleging instead that Obi violated parking regulations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
In a statement issued on Friday, July 10, Keyamo said an internal investigation was launched after Obi accused the Federal Government of targeting him and using airport authorities to intimidate him.
According to the minister, the investigation relied on the airport’s 24-hour CCTV surveillance system, which he said captured the events leading to the incident.
Keyamo stated that on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at about 8:28 p.m., Obi arrived at the domestic terminal of the Abuja airport in a vehicle driven by a police officer. Obi and two other occupants reportedly entered the terminal, while the driver parked the vehicle in the designated drop-off area before leaving it unattended.
The minister said airport regulations require drivers to remain inside their vehicles while using the drop-off zone, noting that unattended vehicles pose a security risk and are subject to enforcement measures.
According to him, the police officer briefly returned to the vehicle at about 8:32 p.m. to retrieve an item before leaving it unattended once again. Airport security personnel subsequently clamped the vehicle’s tyres.
Keyamo maintained that no one was inside the vehicle when it was clamped and that officials had no knowledge that it belonged to Obi.
He further alleged that after discovering the vehicle had been clamped, the police officer contacted Obi, who then spoke with the airport manager and requested that the vehicle be released. The minister claimed the vehicle was released without payment of the prescribed N25,000 fine.
The minister said the issue had initially been resolved but accused Obi of later presenting a “false narrative” by alleging persecution for political reasons.
Keyamo demanded that Obi publicly apologise to airport personnel for what he described as attempts to discredit officials who were carrying out their duties. He also called on the former Anambra State governor to return to the airport and pay the N25,000 parking fine.
According to the minister, if Obi fails to meet both demands within one week, he will direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take further action.
In his statement, Keyamo argued that the CCTV footage contradicts Obi’s allegations of harassment and insisted that the enforcement action was based solely on a violation of airport parking regulations, not the identity of the vehicle’s owner.
