MD FAAN

Perspectives in Multi-Layer Aviation Security System and Passenger Facilitation

A communique issued at the end of Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) Quarter 2, 2022 Breakfast Business Meeting Held on Thursday, August 25, 2022 at GolfView Suites & Conference Centre, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

Speakers included Dr. Harold Demuren, former Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Mrs. Nkechi Onyenso, Managing Director/CEO, Pathfinders Limited; Group Capt. John Ojikutu (Rtd), CEO, Centurion Aviation Security & Safety Consultant; Mr. Ayo Obilana, CEO, Selective Security International; Capt. Hamisu Yadudu, MD/CE, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) representatives of Nigerian Immigration Service, Port Health Services, Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Nigeria Police.

At the end of the discussion, the following resolutions were reached:

  1. Multi-layered security system, which does not necessarily mean physical multi-layer structure but technologically driven security coverage should be provided for all airports in Nigeria to ensure security of airports, passenger and airports infrastructure.
  2. There is an urgent need for provision of more funding for security at the nation’s airports to enable acquisition and deployment of state-of-the-art security equipment.
  3. There is need to reduce the number of physical security checking points at the nation’s airports to enhance passenger facilitation and avoid discouragement of travel by air with unnecessary delays at the airport.
  4. There is need for collaboration and direct engagement between aviation professionals on aviation issues with relevant aviation agencies so as to prevent loss of confidence in the sector.
  5. Security within the airports and in the entire society should be perceived and understood as everybody’s business and not for a selected few. Therefore, every citizen should support security agencies operating within the airports.
  6. There is need for various security agencies at the airports to prioritize national interest, work in synergy and collaboratively, rather than working in silos at the detriment of the intended aviation security objectives.
  7. Since each security agency was established by an Act of the National Assembly, there is need therefore for FAAN to be empowered as the apex coordinator of all other agencies operating at any of our civil airports to coordinate , control operations and the management of security agencies.
  8. There for need for air travelers to change their unruly attitude towards security personnel at the airports.
  9. Since the first layer in multi-layer security systems at the airport is training, there is need for adequate training and retraining on security for personnel posted to the airport and retention of such trained personnel at their duty posts after undergoing training for a minimum period of one year, so as not to render the training and efforts valueless to the system.
  10. There is need for FAAN to drive the process of digitization of security related data in collaboration with security agencies in other to ease the business of providing adequate multi-layer security for the nation’s airports.
  11. Operational process for seamless airport passage calls for ‘balancing act’ between facilitation and security procedures. One is not to override the other.