Kaduna airport attack: Reps summon security chiefs, Sirika, others

Worried by the attack on Kaduna airports by bandits last weekend,  the House of Representatives has summoned the Heads of Security Agencies, Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, and the heads of aviation agencies for a meeting on Wednesday with the House leadership and the chairmen of relevant committees of the House of Representatives on the recent security breach at the Kaduna International Airport.

The House has equally urged the Federal Government through the office of the National Security Adviser, (NSA), the Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector-General of Police, and heads of other security agencies to holistically intervene by setting up a special security task force, (SSTF) on airports across the country.

The House took the decisions after adopting the motion of Urgent National Importance, titled, “Urgent Need for The Federal Government Investigate The Recent Banditry Attack at Kaduna International Airport And Reinforce Security Surveillance and Personnel in all the Nigerian airports sponsored by Nnolim Nnaji, the Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Aviation.

The House further directed the Federal Ministry of Aviation, Federal Airports of Nigeria, (FAAN) security, and other security agencies to come up with a more proactive measure in securing the airports including providing modern security surveillance equipment on the perimeter fences in all airports.

Presenting the motion earlier, Nnaji told colleagues that about a year ago, armed bandits attacked the staff quarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria at the same Kaduna airport and abducted about twelve persons.

He equally noted that just last Friday, March 25, 2022, another horrific armed banditry attack was unleashed at the airport resulting in the death of a security guard of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA).

Nnaji acknowledged the swift intervention of the military and other security agencies who confronted the heavily armed bandits numbering over a hundred adding that their gallantry saved the situation.

The Aviation Committee Chairman said he was concerned that the attack on Kaduna Airports might escalate to other airports if urgent measures were not taken to safeguard the nation’s aerodromes.

Wole Shadare