The Federal Government says it is embarking on the construction of shooting ranges at major airports in Nigeria as part of measures to train aviation security personnel.
Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation disclosed this at the maiden edition of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Airports Council International (ACI) Africa ‘Security Week’ in Abuja on Monday.
Sirika said the federal executive council recently approved the deployment of (K-9) security at the country’s airports following the ministry of aviation presentation.
The minister, who was represented by the director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Musa Nuhu said this is expected to upscale the safeguarding of national and international civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference in limits yet to be recorded in Nigeria’s history.
Sirika said “We are working with FAAN and other stakeholders to quickly actualise the approval of the FEC for aviation security personnel to bear arms. We are currently addressing the challenges related to damaged, incomplete and non-existent perimeter fences at Nigeria because as the first layer of defence, airport perimeters will minimise attacks, prevent incursion and enhance general security.”
Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu, managing director of FAAN, said following the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) re-launch of the Year of Security Culture (YOSC) 2021, FAAN in collaboration with key stakeholders in November 2020 designed an approved AVSEC roadmap.
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The roadmap, in line with the Nigerian Airports Security Week’s theme: “promoting security culture in Nigerian airports”, covers awareness workshops/seminars/symposia, policy and process articulation, enhancing security reporting system and community relations.
The rest are security communication, standardised/structured security awareness programme, signage, posters and announcements, increase in the number of AVSEC instructors and functional training schedule/programme and background checks.
The FAAN helmsman said “to move these policy issues into measurable actions, we have focused on capacity development for our security personnel whose professionalism has become a source of pride to the entire country.
Aviation is technology-driven. State of the art screening and surveillance systems are currently replacing old and epileptic systems in order to improve efficiency and assure satisfactory customer experience while enhancing the security of flights, crew and passengers”
He added that “the authority has strengthened its collaboration with host communities more than ever before and will continue to constructively engage them as critical partners in our journey towards building a robust security culture in and around our airports.
“Our security communication is receiving the needed attention for operational efficiency and the next generation of AVSEC instructors are being identified, developed and certified.”
