Terror threat: FG heightens security at airports

There were fears of possible terrorists attacks on some of Nigeria’s key airports yesterday, but the Federal Government had tightened  security and surveillances around the airports with passengers and airlines advised to be extra vigilant.

Daily Sun learnt that apart from the statutory security and safety measures already in place at the airports, sniffer dogs and members of the Bomb Detection Unit of the Nigerian Police Force have also been deployed at the airports, to complement the effort of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Aviation Security personnel at the security screening points.
Spokesman for FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati told aviation correspondents that “in spite of these heightened security measures, passenger facilitation at all our airports has also been enhanced by the installation of more modern and bigger conveyor belts and metal walk-through detectors.”
“Following the spate of recent security breaches, including bomb blasts, at some airports around the world the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria is constrained to advise all airport users, especially passengers and airline operators, to be security conscious at airports,” said Dati.
“On its part, FAAN has put adequate security measures in place at all Nigerian airports, to forestall any form of security breach, including the installation of 3D screening machines, metal detectors and CCTV cameras. “Passengers are advised not to accept any luggage from anyone and to report any suspicious movements or behaviour immediately to Aviation Security Personnel in the terminals,” he added. Meanwhile, Arik Air has refuted claims that it has suspended operations to Accra, Ghana.Arik Air’s Chief Commercial Officer, Suraj Sundaram said the airline is still operating between the Lagos-Accra and Abuja-Accra routes and is not contemplating suspension of flights as claimed by a section of the media.“We have been consistent since commencing the Accra route in January 2008 and we remain the largest airline on that route offering the largest capacity and choice of flights not only connecting Nigeria to Ghana but also onwards from Ghana to other West African nations”, Sundaram said.             “We will continue to invest in and further expand the Ghanaian market based on the strong support and patronage we have received from the people of Ghana over the past eight years”, Arik Air’s Chief Commercial Officer added. THE SUN