The Magistrate Court for Special Offences, Oshodi, Lagos State, on Tuesday, sentenced 13 of 14 suspects to one year and seven months in jail, after pleading guilty to the theft of building materials at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).

The command’s spokesperson, Mohammed Adeola, in a statement on Tuesday, stated that the court, however, ordered the remand one of the defendants until the the next adjourned date of June 16, 2026, after he pleaded not guilty.

According to Mr Mohammad, the Airport Police Command arraigned the suspects nabbed on Monday, by its Joint Monitoring Task Force (JMTF), deployed to the Terminal one of the airport currently under construction, where continued reports of thefts of building materials were reported.

The statement read, “The Airport Police Command has arraigned fourteen suspects arrested for stealing building materials at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. The suspects were apprehended on April 20, 2026, between 1900hrs and 2000hrs at the Terminal 1 buidling currently undergoing renovation, by the Joint Monitoring Task Force (JMTF), a collaborative security team comprising personnel of the Airport Police Command and other key security agencies, during a routine patrol.

“Prior to the arrest, project managers overseeing the renovation works had reported persistent cases of missing building materials within the Terminal 1 axis. This prompted intensified surveillance and patrol operations around the area. On the evening of the incident, credible intelligence revealed the presence of unauthorized individuals within the restricted construction zone, necessitating immediate intervention by security operatives.

“Upon arrival at the scene, fourteen suspects, namely Muhammed Sadiq, Aliu Umaru, Nuhu Muhammed, Adam Muhammed, Husaini Garuba, Suleman Umaru, Muhammed Musa, Ali Ali, Haruna Adamu, Umaru Musa, Henry Kumasen, Aliu Umaru, Idris Umaru, and Bakura Mustapha, were apprehended in possession of high-value copper wires, iron components, and other building materials. Further investigation revealed that the suspects gained access to the facility by impersonating construction company staff, thereby breaching established security protocols.

“Following due investigation, the suspects were charged before the Magistrate Court for Special Offences, Oshodi, Lagos, on April 21, 2026. Thirteen of the suspects who pleaded guilty were convicted and sentenced to one year and seven months’ imprisonment, while the remaining suspect, who pleaded not guilty, has been remanded in custody with the case adjourned to June 16, 2026.”

The Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command, Ogunbode Olufunke, commended the operatives for their vigilance and professionalism, noting that their swift action reinforced their zero-tolerance against criminal activities within the aviation environment.