UPDATE: FAAN closes, reopens Port Harcourt Airport after fire incident

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria said Saturday, Jan. 4, that  it  has temporarily closed the runway of the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, to operations as part of safety precautions.

General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu  announced the measure in a statement informing airlines, passengers and the general public that a bush fire incident had occurred near the active area of the Airport at Omagwa.

Also Read: BREAKING: Fire stalls flights in Port Harcourt airport

“A joint team from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency is presently evaluating the situation with a view to ensuring that the airside is cleared of smoke and restoration of normalcy at the airport,”  the statement said.

However in a follow-up statement Saturday night, Mrs Yakubu said  the airport has been re-opened for normal flight activities.

The FAAN Spokesperson said, “Following a careful evaluation and mitigation of the impact of the bush fire earlier reported around the Port Harcourt International Airport and the dissipation of smokes around the airside, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria wishes to inform the general public that the airport has now been re-opened to operations.

“Normal flight activities has therefore re-commenced at the airport,” Mrs. Yakubu said. (Newsdiary).