The National Intellig-ence Agency (NIA) has commenced a full-fledged screening of all the security personnel employed at the nation’s airports by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as part of overall measures to put the security of airport users in the front burner.
THISDAY gathered that the measure which is also in tandem with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is made more imperative by the impending ICAO Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) due to be conducted in Nigeria November.
A top management staff of FAAN told THISDAY at the weekend that the NIA is conducting the screening of all FAAN security personnel across the country except the authority’s Director of Aviation Security (AVSEC).
According to him, the exercise is in line with the Federal Government’s policy of integrating aviation security into the national security system/network.
Although the source would not say how long the screening is expected to last, he noted that so far, it has lasted for about two weeks.
Further investigations by THISDAY revealed that the sceening would provide an opportunity to ease out security personnel found to have dented their records or lacking in the needed competence and training of modern aviation security.
Among those who may be made to leave the sysytem after the NIA screening are FAAN security personnel who had in one form of the other compromised airport security through outright laxity or connivance.
It was also gathered that the Federal Government’s plan to integrate aviation security into the national security system became more appealing following the developments in the Niger Delta with the kidnap of oil workers fast becoming a pastime.
According to a source, the July 6, 2005 incident at the Port Harcourt Airport in which an Air France aircraft rammed into a herd of cows in the middle of the runway also reinforced government’s thinking that screening of airport security personnel by the NIA and further integrating airport security into the national security system would forestall such incidents.
It would be recalled that aviation security across the globe took the front seat following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States of America.
The United States and most countries in the West have consistently reviewed their security measures at the airports and other sensitive points.
Only recently, AVSCON Limited, consultants to the Ministry of Aviation brought in an ICAO certified British security expert, Trevor Jones who is currently working towards standardising aviation security screening in the country.
This has led to the commencement of cargo air security training for some Skypower Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL) personnel who deal directly with cargo at the airports daily.
The training which is in 14 modules, among others, took the trainees through latest devices by terrorist, particularly in concealing bombs in cargoes.
Meanwhile, Directors General of Civil Aviation from Contracting States of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), who ended a meeting in Montreal, Canada have agreed to post results from the Organisation’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) on the ICAO public website.
Although the deadline for posting the results is set for March 23, 2008, ICAO urged directors general to comply as soon as possible. At the conclusion of the conference, some 70 states had authorised ICAO to publish the information.
A progress report will be submitted to the next regular Session of the ICAO Assembly in the Fall of 2007 and a full announcement on level of transparency achieved will be issued on March 23, 2008, listing those States that have failed to meet the deadline.
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