The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has taken additional security measures to forestall runway incursions at all airports in the country, especially those without perimeter fences. This is in response to the recent stowaway incident that occurred at the Benin Airport on August 24, 2013.
Yakubu Dati, general manager, Corporate Communications (FAAN) in a statement said that, first, at every airport without fully functional perimeter fence, a FAAN security vehicle will be deployed to a point within full view of the aircraft as it taxies out to take off and maintain visual scrutiny and if necessary to respond to any situation until every departing aircraft is safely airborne.
“Secondly, bushes at all airports are to be cleared to ensure full view of the perimeter, to allow both the control tower, FAAN Fire and Rescue observation posts and aviation security patrol teams have a sweeping view of the entire perimeter of an airport from their duty posts.
“Again, static observation posts will be erected at strategic locations within the perimeter fence of all airports to forestall premeditated and inadvertent unauthorized access to the airside. This will be complemented by motorized and foot patrols”.
Dati decried that the absence of perimeter fences at most of airports had always posed a challenge to FAAN because of the huge capital outlay required in constructing perimeter fences, some of which are as long as 40 kilometres, across the 22 network of airports across the country.
“Most of these projects are expected to commence in 2014 while the remaining ones will be executed in 2015, in line with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan in the aviation industry,” he said.
It will be recalled that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has taken the issue of security at our airports more seriously in recent times, as shown in the dismantling and removal of abandoned aircraft at all our airports and the relocation of petrol tankers from the access road of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos – feats that had been difficult to accomplish for many years.