FAAN filming rules clarified as authority says selfies are allowed at Lagos airport but filming in security zones will attract action

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has clarified that travellers may record personal selfie videos at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, but warned that filming other passengers without consent or capturing restricted security areas will prompt official intervention.

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The clarification followed an incident on Saturday in which a passenger was stopped while recording inside a restricted screening section of the airport.

In a statement, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria said the individual was filming within a security zone where signage clearly indicates that recording is prohibited.

Airport personnel, the authority explained, politely advised the passenger to stop, noting that other travellers have a right not to be recorded without consent.

According to FAAN, the situation escalated when the passenger initially declined to comply with the directive. The individual was subsequently invited to the Crime Investigation and Intelligence Unit office for clarification.

The agency stressed that the passenger was not detained and that the engagement focused on guidance regarding acceptable camera use within the airport environment.

The authority added that the traveller later acknowledged the issue, deleted the recording, provided a written undertaking and was allowed to continue his journey.

Reassuring airport users, FAAN emphasised that personal selfie videos are not restricted under its guidelines.

Intervention, it said, only occurs when filming involves other passengers without consent or when sensitive operational or security areas are recorded.

The development followed a complaint by social media content creator Nonstop Patrick, known on X as @chupatric, who alleged that Aviation Security officers stopped him while he was filming with a GoPro camera for his YouTube channel.

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The FAAN Filming Rules clarification comes amid growing content creation activity in public spaces, with aviation authorities underscoring the need to balance personal expression with passenger privacy and national security considerations.