Airport Security: FG Reads Riot Act to Airlines

The Federal Government has threatened that it would suspend indefinitely any airline, whether foreign or local, that flouts the maximum security situation introduced  after the failed attempt of a Nigerian, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, to blow up the Northwest Airline Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan on Christmas day.
The warning came as the Nigerian government ordered a 100 per cent screening of  passengers at the airports, especially those on international destinations.

This was part of the decision reached at an emergency security meeting held yesterday at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) headquarters, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The meeting  attended by all the 24 foreign airlines operating in the country, except Egypt Air, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Ethiopian Airlines,  and all government agencies, including security operatives and ground handling companies,  lasted many hours. Although, no official statement was issued at the end of the meeting,  THISDAY learnt that government has insisted that every airline, no matter the situation, must abide by the 100 per cent screening of passengers.

Beefing up of security at the airports became necessary when it was learnt that the suspect passed through Nigeria with the substance suspected to be a bomb without being detected by the security operatives .
Although operators believe  that 100 per cent screening of passengers would cause a lot of delays, inside source from one of the aviation agencies noted that such sacrifice is worth it because “the ultimate is the safety and security of passengers and other airport users.”

A senior security official had told THISDAY earlier that all the security agencies at the airports in the country, especially the international airports, had stepped up all security measures by 100 per cent.
Also the Federal Government has threatened to severely punish any security official at the airport or any aviation agency workers who flouts the strict security measures that have been introduced at the airports.
Abdulmutallab was said to have passed through the airport screening machines like any other passenger during the out-bound journey from Nigeria to Amsterdam on December 24 and that according to close circuit television (CCTV) footage at the screening section of the airport, “the suspect followed the instruction, just like other passengers and passed through the screening machine.”