By Kelvin Osa Okunbor
Nigeria’s airports need reinforced security to forestall stowaways and other breaches, an aviation security expert, Group Captain John Ojikutu (retd.), has said.
He advised Federal Government to begin the perimeter/security fencing at all airports across the country.
He noted that without reworking the security architecture of the airports to improve access control in security controlled areas, incidents, like stowaway, would continue to recur. Ojikutu spoke against the backdrop of an unidentified man in his 20s who attempted to force his way into an Air Peace aircraft at the runway of the Lagos Airport.
The man attempted to enter the wheel-well of an Air Peace in an Owerri-bound aircraft, was arrested at the Lagos Airport.
The airline’s spokesman Stanley Olisa said the man emerged from the bush on the runway of the airport and attempted to gain access into the wheel well of the aircraft as it was taxing for take-off.
Olisa said the pilot of the aircraft was alerted by another pilot in a private jet, who informed security personnel attached to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The FAAN security officials whisked the man away.
In a statement last Friady, Air Peace said: “This morning, at exactly 9:10 at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja (MMA1), Lagos, an Owerri-bound Air Peace aircraft (Flight P47252) was taxing towards the threshold for take-off when a man, in his 20s, emerged from the bush along the runway and tried to gain access to the aircraft through the wheel-well.
“There was a private jet behind the aircraft. The pilot in command of the private jet informed the Air Peace pilot in command that a young man, obviously in his 20s, was trying to force his way into the aircraft.
“The security wing of FAAN was alerted and the man was accosted and whisked away. He is currently in the regulator’s custody. When interrogated on why he took the action, the man stated that he thought the aircraft was headed overseas. We commend FAAN for its timely intervention. The regulator is already investigating the incident.”
Ojikutu stressed that despite International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) security audit reports, the MMA1 was yet to comply with the 2004/2008 recommendations on airport security fencing.
He said: “While the aviation security personnel that spotted the intruder should be commended, a lot still has to be done about the perimeter/security fences and access control to the security controlled areas.
“The airport’s perimeter/security fences are not sufficiently, in compliance with the standards recommended for global practices for airports that are built within complicated urban development areas. In spite of the various ICAO security audit commendable reports, MMA is yet to comply with the 2004/2008 recommendations on the airport perimeter fence.
“Secondly, while I will recommend regular patrols of the 23-kilometre internal perimeter fence, there is need for FAAN to continuously conduct regular security background checks on the individuals that are working in the airports security controlled areas, especially those working in the air side.
“A review or audit of the numbers of On Duty Card issued to operators’ workers should be regularly conducted to call back or cancel those that could have been issued to disengaged staff. Overall, commendation to the vigilant Aviation security workers who got the intruder arrested. It could have been worse.”
On June 19, 2019, Nigerian aviation authorities said an intruder who climbed onto the wing of a commercial plane that was preparing to fly from the country’s busiest airport had been detained.
A viral video of the incident at the international airport in Lagos also showed panicky passengers appearing eager to flee the plane. FAAN spokeswoman Henrietta Yakubu said the Azman Air plane had been waiting for clearance from air traffic controllers.
She said it taxied back for a “thorough check” before departing for Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Following the incident, FAAN suspended indefinitely the aviation security unit heads on duty when the incident occurred.
This was ahead of the completion of investigation into the security infringement.
The affected officers, according to the agency, included the Airport Chief of Security, Mamman Sadiku; International Terminal Security Officer, Oni Abiodun; Head of Department, Domestic Terminal 2, Owotor Okezie and Head of Department, Domestic Terminal 1, Badejo Ayodele.
In 2017, passengers on a private jet in Lagos said thieves forced open the cargo door and stole luggage.
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