The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has announced its full campaign and active participation in the forthcoming Airport Council International, ACI-Africa Security Week taking place in Abuja from 25th to 28th, 2021.
The Security Week 2021 with the theme: ‘Promotion of Security Culture in African Airports’ is scheduled to take place at the Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau conference centre, Nigerian Correctional Service Headquarters, Abuja and is celebrated across all member airports.
Managing Director FAAN, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu at a press briefing Friday said, all stakeholders are to be fully involved in the week which will feature lectures in different topics, interactions etc.
He stated that, the theme for the week, is in tandem with the declaration of the year 2021 as the Year of Security Culture by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO).
“Security Week is Airport Council International (ACI) initiative. I want to use this opportunity to further sensitive and create more understanding and awareness”.
He emphasized that, stakeholders, airlines, government agencies, concessioners, ground handlers, passengers and communities within the airport environment will be educated and sensitized on their duties regarding security.
“Without security, no one will fly in this industry. That is why from the beginning, we have the Chicago Conference of 1944, which people sat down and created ICAO, which will regulate and coordinate civil aviation industry. That regulation and coordination is all in the interest of safety and security.”
According to the FAAN MD, the airports do not operate in isolation as whatever happens within and around the community will have effects on the airport, adding that, there is the need for the communities to be carried along, sensitized on their roles and how to contribute their quota to the overall security of the environment.
“No airport operates in isolation, we are not islands what happens within the community or around the community affects the airport so, each airport will do it with the staff, the community, with other stakeholders, agencies, military and para-military, organizations involved in each state and then off course we shall bring it to the stakeholders like passengers, airlines and handlers because it is an industry affair, aviation is for everyone”.
Capt. Yadudu noted that, a lot has been done in ensuring security across airports in Nigeria which many people many not see and know about, stressing that, If things are going on smoothly, it means some people are doing something behind the scenes.
“AVSEC security system is something you hardly see or notice until something goes wrong and the working go around every day for seven days”.
He added, “We cannot have aviation without proper security. Security allows us to have aviation industry”.
He said, topics like insider threats, unlawful interference, training, retraining, recurrency, social challenges, vulnerability among others will be treated by various speakers, adding that, the week will be interactive as participants are expected to contribute to the discuss.
ACI-Africa is the international association of African airports; the voice of African airports, with the prime objective of representing and advancing the collective security and safety interests of African airports.
