At the inauguration ceremony held at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos, on Monday, FAAN Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, said the new security outfit would bolster airport security.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has inaugurated some 120 armed Aviation Security (AVSEC) Special Force officers to curtail the rising criminals that usually scale the airport perimeter fences to steal valuable assets, SaharaReporters learnt on Tuesday.
At the inauguration ceremony held at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos, on Monday, FAAN Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, said the new security outfit would bolster airport security.
Kuku hailed the move as a significant milestone in enhancing security standards to align with global benchmarks.
In an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters on Tuesday, a high-ranking official at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) revealed a series of recent security breaches at the airport, which had resulted in significant financial losses for the federal government.
The source cited the theft of the runway lighting system at Murtala Muhammed International Airport as a particularly egregious example, which caused widespread international embarrassment for Nigeria.
“The lighting which was installed in November 2022 enabled planes to use the runway at night.
“The lighting system was stolen in May, weeks after rehabilitation work started on the runway, causing the diversion of international flights to the domestic runway known as Runway 18L,” the source explained.
SaharaReporters reported on October 2023 that the stolen lighting system on the domestic runway 18 Runway/36Left of the airport was reinstalled about eight months earlier.
The source who spoke on condition of anonymity stated “Although touts are not serious criminals, some create embarrassment. They are either begging from passengers, they do not work at airports but just come there. They can say allow me to push your bag expecting monetary gain in the process.”
“We also have those trying to assist passengers inside the airport, leaving their primary duties, some of this people are criminals.
“What is making it bad is that some people do not need it, you then see some people bursting them, asking to help them push their bag. We usually have tough and hard criminals come into the perimeter fence of the airport. We have seen situation where someone ran straight to the front of the aircraft.
“When they came to steal some instruments at the airport, SaharaReporters did reports about it, these are the arguments for arms. Some of the arguments are for touting,” explained the logic behind creating an armed security outfit.
According to source, “To resolve touting problem in the airport we need to resolve legal problem. There was a time that court was not taking people from us because prison is full. These touts at the airport do not mind going to the prison for three months and then coming back.
“We have touts at the airport who are there because of hunger. Like Lagos airport located at the epicenter of state. One will tell the others about the benefit of carrying loads at airports thereby mobilising other touts.
“The punishment for touting is nothing, even sometimes when you take them to the police stations, they pay N10,000 or N15,000 and bail themselves. Police stations even see arresting and detaining touts as a form of business, except the one that the organisation insists is becoming a notorious touts,” justifying the reason for the aviation security.
“Infact, some of touts will say they should be transferred to the police because they know they will get out with N10,000 or N15,000 and in a day you can transfer like 15 to 20 touts to the police station, so it became a revenue source.
“Cleaners and airline securities get pennies these are some of the issues that we face. Somebody you are paying N20,000 or N15,000 and this money they will be owed for like two, three months and the person is working at the airport and these are stories that are not yet out”
“The consequences for touting is not grievous. Maximum sentences are not usually much and you cannot put someone in prison for three years for begging.
“There is no reason to bear arms inside the terminal buildings, except there is an emergency needed.”
Meanwhile, the Managing Director/Chief Executive, FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, says the specially trained officers will focus on safeguarding airport assets, protecting lives, and ensuring the well-being of all individuals within the airport ecosystem.
“They’re quite professional, as you can see, and they will continue to engage as well as work closely with other security agencies.”
Mrs. Kuku alleviated concerns about the security team resorting to excessive force, emphasising that their deployment is aimed at deterrence rather than aggression.
She urged passengers and airport users to conduct themselves in an orderly manner, acknowledging the elite squad’s role in complementing existing aviation security staff.
