The Acting Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Capt. Abdullahi Sidi says the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is living up to expectations in the provision of quality security systems at the nation’s airports particularly the international airports.
This just as he said that Sidi, said the Lagos and Abuja continues to receive high ratings in the area of security in international community despite some of the teething challenges at the airports.
Speaking with reporters in Lagos, Capt. Sidi who is also the Director of Operations and Training, NCAA explained that Lagos and Abuja airports have consistently scored over 90 per cent in international security audits, stressing that the government was focusing on security and safety at the nation’s airports.
Citing some examples, he said the passenger sides of the airports were equipped with security gadgets like the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, which made it extremely difficult for intruders to penetrate restricted areas of the airports without detection, he recalled the incident of December 2009 when the underpants bomber, Abdumutallab, the security gadgets installed in strategic areas were able to track him down.
According to him, without the high security networks in Nigerian airports, the sole American airline, Delta operating into the country would have ceased operations, stressing that the Department of Transport (DoT), United States personnel, audit the Lagos airport almost every three months because of its interest.
He said: “Inasmuch as we have some minor security issues, Nigeria airports especially the Lagos and Abuja, security-wise, we have achieved 96 per cent of the International Security Audit of our airports and if you remember, not long ago, Sen. Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation, collected certificate from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Canada for achieving very high security standards at our airports.
Sidi, however, noted that some of the security challenges in the country’s aviation industry were not peculiar to Nigeria alone, stressing that each country had its own security challenges that it grapple with.
