Barely 48 hours after the interception of some explosives at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, the Federal Government on Monday initiated moves to sanction those behind security lapses at the airport.
A source in the Presidency disclosed the plan just as the State Security Service started analysing the explosives seized from a suspect, Michael Dickson, on Saturday at the airport.
It was also learnt that Dickson had been moved to Abuja.
The source, who spoke with our correspondents in confidence on the telephone, added that there would be an immediate overhaul of the security system at the airport.
He said The government has discovered that there are security lapses at the airport and the relevant aviation authorities have been mandated to deal with the lapses.
We have initiated a security audit of the airport and all the breaches being committed. A list of those responsible for these lapses is being compiled.
You can quote me, heads will soon roll at the airport. It is no longer going to be business as usual.
We can no longer tolerate the present situation whereby with a paltry sum, a security man will stoop so low to allow security lapses.�
He added that most of those that would be affected by the cleansing might come from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
According to the source, FAAN, which manages the nations 21 airports, has over 3,000 workers.
He said, FAAN used to have about 5,000 workers at the beginning of 2006 but because of security exigency, about 2,000 were sacked. The present situation has indicated that we have to review the situation nationwide, especially, at the MMA.
The source identified seven sources of security lapses at the MMA.
These are lack of cargo screening machines; inadequate security personnel; porous entrance to the airport; ignorance of passengers on items permissible on board; lack of professionals handling cargoes at airport; high presence of touts, mostly sacked and retired airline staff; and lack of a proper cargo section at the local wing.
When contacted, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Yusufu, said the agency was reviewing the security system at the airport.
He said, We are going to review the present security system in place in order to restrategise on how to improve it.
We have to think about five steps ahead of those behind the lapses. We have realised that while we are thinking, the touts and others are also thinking. So, we have to come out with the best options.
We are after a durable and sustainable security system for our airports. While we do this, we will continue to pray for Gods guidance. It was God that helped us to intercept those explosives and we will continue to count on God.�
On Dickson, Yusufu said, We are trying to follow up the investigations by the SSS.�
It was learnt that the SSS was investigating the incident with a view to determining if the explosives had any link with recent plane crashes in the country.
A security source told our correspondents in Abuja that the need to look into the past was because the motive behind the explosives had not been known.
He added that the explosives had been taken to a laboratory in order to determine their contents and potency.
The source said, �The man was brought here last Sunday and he has been undergoing interrogation since. He seems to have some information which we believe may lead to the reasons while some of the aircraft are crashing.
�Again, we don�t want to rush the interrogation. We want to be sure that these explosives are actually potent and are meant to blow up the aircraft. Investigations like these are not the ones we can rush and jump into conclusions.
�It is not only we that have interest in this case; international organisations, I believe are also interested in the outcome of the investigation.�
He added that part of the mandate given to the interrogators was to find out the reason for the move to blow up the aircraft, if it was actually true that he wanted to do so.
He also said that security agents would find out if there were accomplices working with the suspect.
He said, �You know that the reports we had was that Dickson was not going to travel in the flight. If that is true, then there must be reasons. Was he alone in the act or was he working in concert with some people?
�If that is true, then we will like to unmask them. These are the things we believe the investigation will bring out.�
When contacted, the spokesman for the Service, Mr. Ado Muazu, said it would be too early to make any comment as investigations had just commenced.
He said, �I will not like to say whether he has made any useful or �unuseful� statements to us. At an appropriate time we will speak on the issue.�
Security has, however, been tightened at the MMA in compliance with the directive of the Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayodes directive.
Our correspondents, who visited the domestic wing of the airport saw uniformed officials of the FAAN and plain- clothe security operatives monitoring the screening machine at the entrance to the terminal building.and movements at other points at the airport.
The General Manager, Public Affairs of the FAAN, Mr. Adeniyi Ajakaiye, confirmed the security beef-up.
He said, We now conduct 100 per cent checks at the airport. It started with the minister himself today(Monday) at the Aero terminal.�
Our correspondents also observed low turn out of passengers at the airport. Counters of most of airlines were virtually deserted.
But it could not be ascertained if the lull was as a result of the explosive scare on Saturday.
The Public Affairs Manager of the airline, Mr. Habib Mohammed, however, said that there was no enough evidence that the suspect actually intended the luggage for the carrier�s flight.
�One cannot categorically say at this stage that the suspect targeted Bellview Airlines or any other airline. The security operatives are still interrogating the guy. We will base whatever judgment on the motive of the suspect on the preliminary investigation by the security officials. It is better to allow them conclude the investigation first,� he added.
Some airlines officials and other workers at the General Aviation Terminal on Monday described Dickson as one of the touts at the airport.
The officials, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondents that the suspect used to work with one of the airlines.
One of the officials said, He is one of the touts. What they do here is to collect parcels or cargoes from people and take them to any airline�s counter as unaccompanied cargo. He could have been offered a token like N1,000 or even N500 for such job. He might not be aware of the content of the parcel.�
Some passengers at the airport who reacted to the explosive scare described it as common in global aviation.
Mr. Chris Otaigbe, who was on his way to Abuja, said, It happens all over the world but people still fly.�