BusinessFG Moves to Rejig Aviation Security

FG Moves to Rejig Aviation Security

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…Alerts Managers in Lagos, Abuja, Maiduguri

BEVERLY HILLS, April 19, (THEWILL) – The Ministry of Aviation is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that about 29 airports in the country are secured from attacks by assailants. The new security measures are as a result of fears that, most of the airports, including local and international, across the country may be under threat of a planned attack.

The airports that are said to be under such threat are: Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) Kano; Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (SMICA) Owerri; Akure Airport; Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar; Jos Airport; Minna Airport; Ilorin Airport; Maiduguri Airport; Kaduna Airport; Katsina Airport and Ibadan Airport.

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Others are: Sokoto, Zaria, Benin, Enugu and Yola, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Asaba, Kebbi, Gombe, Akwa Ibom, Dutse, Jalingo and Osubi Airports.

THEWILL gathered that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had, in a circular, dated 9th April, 2021 signed by the agency’s deputy general manager of administration and logistics, S.M. Mamman and addressed to airport chiefs of security, warned that criminal elements were already planning attacks at the airports and that the airport managers had to enact countermeasures.

The circular issued by FAAN is coming few weeks after the Nigerian security agents foiled an attempt by armed bandits to kidnap aviation workers residing in the staff quarters of FAAN at the Kaduna Airport.

The foiled attempt was not the first attack on Kaduna Airport. Two weeks before the incident, a similar attempt was made with the kidnap of about 13 staff, including a member of staff of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and his entire family, and that of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) when the bandits attacked previously.

The memo read, “I am directed to convey an alert from the Ministry of Aviation regarding security threats by criminal elements against Airports in Nigeria and to request for the immediate enumeration of necessary countermeasures for the protection of Airports/Facilities under your purview”.

“Specifically, the airports top on the list for which criminals are considering carrying out attacks include those in Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kano, Abuja, and Lagos amongst others. However, all airports are hereby alerted and requested to operate at a heightened threat level.”

The airport chiefs have been directed to “submit a list of existing and additional countermeasures to address the threats, along with their cost implications where applicable”.

Also, they are expected to urgently convene an emergency meeting of airport security committees “to review the status of airport security, jointly recommend appropriate measures and share responsibility for effective implementation”.

Before the recent alarm raised by the Aviation Ministry, stakeholders in the nation’s aviation industry had earlier warned that if the frequent security breaches at the airports continue it may lead to threat of lives and property, which may consequently affect the perception of the flying public.

Earlier this year, armed bandits attacked workers of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and that of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) quarters in Kaduna State, abducting about 9 persons, including a family of 6 and a housewife with her two children. The bandits had gained access to the quarters through the airport runway at midnight, storming into the apartment of their victims in a brazen manner.

Last year, a 25-year-old man was caught at the runway of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, attempting to hide in aircraft wheel-well of Air Peace flight. He was, however, arrested by Aviation Security of FAAN. Still in 2020 similar incident occurred when a middle-aged man identified as Nigerien attempted to climb Azman Air aircraft on the same runway but was stopped and eventually he was arrested by security operatives.

Cases of unconfirmed reports of runway incursion abound across the airports, the latest being the Kaduna scenario. However, despite the bandits attack in Kaduna, the FAAN has said, it will not shutdown the Kaduna International Airport.

In his reaction, Aviation Security consultant, Group Captain John Ojikutu advised that a national security or intelligence estimates should be sent to the NCAA to distribute to all operators both public and private. According to Ojikutu, airports are not the only targets for terrorists to attack but other areas such as parking aircraft, fuel depots, etc.

“They require similar directives from the responsible aviation security authority. My take; first, since all operators have approved security programmes by the NCAA, all that is required is for the NCAA to use the security intelligence estimates which should be sent to it by the appropriate national authority to update the national civil aviation security programmes (NCASP) and send it down to all the operators under its oversight as directives not advisory”.

“Secondly, I will suggest, in addition to the FAAN HQ circular and more important than the purchase of any equipment now; urgently include carparks, fuel depots and the airport service roads at MMA connecting the terminals among the airport security restricted areas”, Ojikutu said.

Ojikutu also advised that the authorities should improve surveillance on all access into the airport security-controlled area; increase patrols on both sides of the airport perimeter fence; reduce the number of visitors, meeters and greeters and also the control of the VIP escorts. In addition to these security measures proffered, the retired Group Captain advised that FAAN must close the Bisaam access and exit route roads into the MMA airport transit access road.

Reacting, Director of Press Ministry of Aviation, James Odaudu was quoted as saying that he had no knowledge of the letter and with what has transpired in Kaduna of late, the Ministry may be aiming to forestall a recurrence of incidents that happened in Kaduna recently.

“Honestly, I am not aware of the letter. Probably, it is a measure to curtail what has been witnessed in recent times especially in Kaduna Airport. I have not seen the letter and I cannot comment specifically on it. “But, of course with what has happened in Kaduna, the Ministry is putting in place measures to guide against recurrence”, he stated.

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