A United States federal air marshal was allegedly injected with a syringe filled with an unknown substance in Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos.
The federal air marshal was reportedly attacked by a subject while on the public side of the Lagos Airport on Sunday. The allegation was contained in an alert from TSA’s Transportation Security Operations Center distributed throughout the agency yesterday afternoon. (Monday 8th September 2014)
“The [air marshal] reported that the subject stuck him with a syringe and it is believed he was injected with an unknown substance,” the alert says.
The State Department responded to the airport to assist the air marshal and his team.
“After consultation with the consulate and physicians, the [federal air marshal] was given precautionary medication,” according to the alert.
The air marshal and the rest of his team–along with the syringe used in the attack– were immediately flown out of Nigeria and back to the U.S.
The syringe also was transported back to the U.S. for testing.
An FBI spokesman said Monday night, “out of an abundance of caution, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted an on-scene screening of the victim when United Flight 143 landed in Houston early Monday morning. The victim did not exhibit any signs of illness during the flight and was transported to a hospital upon landing for further testing. None of the testing conducted has indicated a danger to other passengers.”
The CDC and the FBI are involved and have opened investigations, the alert states.
The TSA, State Department and CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“This investigation is still in the preliminary stage and early indications are limited to a criminal nexus.”
The FBI and Center for Disease Control (CC) in the United States are now investigating the attack.