Airport security breach: FAAN moves to tackle menace
The last few months had been herculean for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as there were so many cases of security breach.
First was the allegation of poaching of aircraft, which started late last year. This transcended beyond that to cows resting on the runway of the Akure airport in Ondo State.
Under intense pressure to prevent people from runways and planes at some of the country’s airports, particularly the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, authorities are cracking down not only on intruders who slip through perimeter gates or jump over fences, but providing equipment to combat a menace that is becoming an embarrassment to the country.
To stem the situation, FAAN is applying proactive approach to holistically tackle the problems.
The authority had since deployed Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at the strategic locations within the air-side in order to forestall aircraft poaching and other incidences.
Spokeswoman for FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu told Woleshadare.net that the agency was not unaware of recent developments at some aerodromes within the country with respect to security breaches and had started putting measures in place to improve security.
Her words, “We have taken various initiatives and measures to guard against breaches of any sorts at all our airports nationwide”.
She said the agency had also deployed 10 additional patrol vehicles to secure the airside of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, following recent cases of stealing from aircraft.
“We also have a joint patrol arrangement involving military officers, men of the Nigeria Police Force and aviation security at our airports at all times. These efforts will help in no small measure at bringing to the barest minimum security infractions at our airports,” she added.
There are also indications that the agency has also begun profiling workers who provide services at the various terminals of the major airports in the country.
The airport management also said it was determined to prevent any action that could compromise security at any of the nation’s airports, including insider threat, which investigations revealed has been responsible for the bombing of aircraft and terrorist access to some airports in different parts of the world in the last few years.
Presently, all personnel who work at all the private jet terminals, the construction workers at the airside of all the major airports in the country and all other workers who are not substantive staff of the government agencies, airline and handling companies are subjected to profiling before they access the airport terminals, especially the airside of the airports.
Insider threat is an airport employee who goes between secure and insecure areas to smuggle drugs and weapons. A contract worker with airside access places explosives on an airplane. A former worker provides detailed intelligence to a terrorist organization about the inner-workings of a major airport.
The thought of an insider threat brings considerable concern to organizations operating in the aviation industry. It’s not a new concept, but it’s receiving rising attention today because of recent security breaches.
Meanwhile, the authority has called for synergy among security agencies across airports in the country to stop security breach at airports.
Information sharing, according to FAAN, is imperative to collectively tackle any security issue, adding that no security agency can work in isolation or handle security matters.
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