JUST like the rest of the world, the landscape of aviation security in Nigeria faces significant challenges, including terrorism threats exacerbated by armed banditry, kidnapping, smuggling activities and local civil agitations.
These factors necessitate a process of continuous risk assessment to enable the deployment of robust measures to ensure airport security, protect passengers, crew, airport personnel and other stakeholders and their investments.
This was the position of the Director of Aviation Security Services at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), ACP Albert Igbafe Afegbai (rtd) while giving an overview of known key projects in aviation security from the Nigerian perspective.
Under the key initiatives carried out between 2023 and 2024, the Nigerian government, through FAAN and other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), has launched several security projects to bolster aviation security.
Afegbai listed these initiatives aimed at strengthening airport security to include technology upgrades, training programmes, quality assurance, manpower recruitment efforts and operational mobility improvement.
Others are armed enforcement efforts, enhanced communication in Aviation Security (AVSEC) operations, operational mobility improvement, upgrade in passenger screening technology.
Afegbai, in his overview, cited how in January 2024, FAAN completed the remodelling of the passenger security checkpoint at the Zulu Terminal of the domestic zone of the Lagos Airport.
The remodelling involved the redesign and expansion of the screening point, installation of new and technologically-advanced EDS-enabled screening machine, remodelling of passenger waiting area.
The impact of the project is responsible for, among others, the improvement in passenger throughput, reduced stress on AVSEC operatives, enhanced detection of prohibited items and improved handling of arms carried by law enforcement officers (LEOs) travelling on flights.
Under the AVSEC operational communication, FAAN has an ongoing project aimed at the provision and installation of 3,000 units of hand-held radios, radio base stations, vehicle-mounted radios and repeater stations.
Listing the efforts of the FAAN management at transforming the airports for seamless ease of doing business and enhancement of safety and security, Afegbai recalled how in April 2024, a total of 500 walkie-talkie radios were deployed at Lagos and Abuja Airports, including the directorate’s headquarters
According to the director, by the third week of December 2023, a total of 201 AVSEC recruits graduated from the FAAN AVSEC training school upon the completion of ICAO STP 123/Basic while additional sets of recruitment exercises covering about 250 were completed in May 2024 for South-East and South- South airports.
To bring other domestic airports in Nigeria at par with global best practices as is currently operational in the five major airports, the On-Duty Card (ODC) equipment at Akure and Jos airports were upgraded to the Prima 8 specification.
Determined to make movement of passengers seamless within the airport, FAAN, under the present management, engaged in the leasing of apron buses to move passengers from parking bay to the new international terminal at Lagos airport.
To improve on the security arrangement at the airport, FAAN put an end to the arrangement whereby incoming passengers could easily mix with outgoing passengers through the elimination of passenger mix at the Lagos airport according to ICAO Annex 17 requirement.
To enhance the capacity building for its aviation security directorate (AVSEC), FAAN in 2023 and 2024, completed different training programmes ranging from screeners Certification Course MMA (250 personnel) in 2023, screeners Certification Course Enugu (30 personnel) – 2023 and screeners Certification Course Port-Harcourt (55 personnel) – 2023.
Another feat achieved by FAAN to further transform the Lagos airport was the resuscitation and upgrade of moribund Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at the Lagos airport in March 2024.
FAAN, during the period, successfully revamped unserviceable patrol vehicles to enhance patrols, aircraft protection, airside surveillance and security.
The unveiling of AVSEC armed response squad and the training of 120 trained armed AVSEC personnel whose primary operations include serving as first responders to security emergencies like terrorism and banditry around the airside.
Other security upgrades include 24 hours perimeter patrols, escort of arriving and departing aircraft, land side security and non-obstructive operations.
Afegbai emphasised that the recent aviation security projects in Nigeria have strengthened airport security, protecting airlines, passengers, personnel and other airport users.
