One of the major challenges in air transport is fortifying security at airports to protect travellers, aircraft and airport users.
Since the advent of terrorism, airport security had become very critical, as it has become a crucial factor in certifying and evaluating airports around the world.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has enjoyed good records in terms of security since the averted tragedy in air transport, when the underwear bomber, Abdulmutallab, was stopped from bombing North West Airlines Flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. It was only in Nigeria that the passenger processing of Abdulmutallab was captured in video despite the fact that he came from Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport to Lagos and from Lagos to Amsterdam and was also processed for final departure to US from the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.
Throwing light on the efforts to improve security and deploy technology advanced security equipment to further fortify the airports, FAAN’s Director of Aviation Security Services (AVSEC), ACP Afegbai Albert Igbafe, spoke extensively on what the agency is doing to ensure a more secure airports.
He said shortly after he was appointed as a director, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) carried out audit on airport security and the country passed it and since them the agency has been trying to improve in accordance to international standards and recommended practices.
“When we came on board, we had the ICAO audit and they gave us their own marks. We met a lot of issues when we came on board. We tried to fix a lot of them by providing some of the amenities like the CCTV cameras, we upgraded them. Now, presently, we are trying to do access control whereby every individual that is coming to the airport will be properly checked because we found that we have a lot of concessionaires, we have a lot of security people who are not supposed to be on the airport that come in and out. So right now put the access control in place, I think it will help us a great lot and we have a lot of gaps during the ICAO audits; so, we’re trying to close the gaps,” he said.
Over the years there has been the controversial perimeter fencing of the airports. It is believed that it should be the primary protection of the airport territory but many airports under the management of FAAN do not have this facility.
Igbafe said because the airports had remained porous there had been incursions but explained that efforts have been made to improve the situation.
“Perimeter fencing is an issue in the sense that since we came on board, we had witnessed a lot of encroachments in the perimeter areas, especially at the Lagos airport because it’s a vast land. We have been trying to put it in place with the little resources we have. We have deployed security operatives to engage on patrol measures. We have patrol at night. We have observation posts, which are being manned by the AVSEC personnel. Then we have the joint patrols with the military, the Air Force, and the AVSEC personnel. And because of the monitoring of perimeter area, we just recently launched the armed unit of the AVSEC.
“But most of the issue we have has to do with the fencing. We all came about with this commander and a lot of the fencing have been destroyed by the neighbouring communities. I will tell you this is a big challenge because we will get as many as 20 to 30 intruders every night. They continued to come because we do not have strong punitive measures against them. When we hand them over to the police before we know they are released. The Legal Department of FAAN is collaborating with the Attorney General of the state to help us get mobile courts so that these things will be handled swiftly,” he said.
On the allegation of money laundering, which the Minister hinted that airlines airlift funds for their clients, the Director said that the Minister launched a task force on that and the members of the task force are currently investigating private aircraft owners.
“When you are talking about money laundering it is a different ball game, because we are talking about private jet owners, we had a meeting with the NSA (National Security Adviser), who gave us some guidance and gave us some instructions and gave us some orders that we are following through the Minister and the Managing Director of FAAN.
“But we are monitoring them. With the task force in place, what we want to do first of all is to make sure all the private jet owners adhere to the rules of FAAN, whereby everybody that is coming through the hangers will be properly screened by the AVSEC personnel. That is being worked out. So, we are trying to launch the fast track. But the fast track system is not going to be just only for the VIPs. Anybody that is interested will come in if you want to be attended to swiftly, seamlessly. It happens all over the world. We have witnessed it in America; at Chicago airport. They have a fast track system,” he further said.
Igbafe said nobody would be given preferential treatment at the airport and everyone would go through the security screening process
“Even my Minister subjects himself to search; my Managing Director subjects herself to security screening. I subject myself to screening too. You will pass through the screening in machines or the body detector machine. You must adhere to the rules when you come to the airport,” he added.
On using technology to enhance security, the AVSEC Director said on his appointment he introduced data base system and noted that AVSEC remained a professional body where the staff members undergo regular training, including training on screening which they are given certificate at the end. They also undergo instructor courses in accordance to ICAO standards.
“So, what we are putting in place is, we are preparing an algorithm whereby everybody will put in the database. And with the flick of the button, we know who have done their courses, those who are certified, the time they are supposed to go for certification, the time their certificates will be expiring. All those are being worked on,” he further said.
On the deployment of artificial intelligence to improve security at the airports, the AVSEC Director said the Minister is looking at some companies who have made propositions to bring in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.
“We are going to do the access control, and the access control will work with AI system. This is whereby when somebody is coming into the airport they will be captured by the camera and everything inside them will reflect in the system. If you have any weapons with you, if you have anything that is with you, the AI will detect it, and immediately send a signal to the command center. We are working on that,” Igbafe said.
