Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku
Cleaners at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, yesterday engaged in a free for all over a gift of about one hundred thousand naira Prof Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno gave to some of the cleaners.
On sighting Governor and his entourage preparing to board his flight from Abuja, a couple of the cleaners approached and greeted him.
He waved back. As he reached in his pockets, other workers who may have sensed that there was going to be a windfall all started running towards the governor.
No sooner had the governor handed something to one of those who had milled around him than a free for all started. During the ensuing melee, clothes were pulled, blows thrown and there was a general display of might and right.
Apparently the governor handed the money gift to a lady, and the fight was to wrest it from her.
“The governor wanted to give me the money.
There were two bundles of one thousand naira notes. I was the one who first approached him when others were shy. I should be the one to share the money to the others,” one of the cleaners told Alltimepost.com.
In the battle to wrest the gift from the lady, she had to take refuge in the female toilet to avoid being attacked by the large crowd of cleaners.
On sighting the approach of a senior airport official, the cleaners began to disperse one after the other. Others lingered on and only after a stern rebuke from the official did most reluctantly disperse. Most still kept vigil at the female toilet after the official left.
“Hunger dey Nigeria sir…New Year dey come. No money. Everybody dey hustle oh”, one of the cleaners involved in the fight said.
The senior official declined to tell Alltimepost.com what decision he would take concerning the uproar at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport.
