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Concerns over porous security at Lagos Airport cargo shed

By on November 15, 2014

Airline officials have expressed deep concern about the porous security at the cargo shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, which makes the place vulnerable to attacks.
Their worries stem from what they described as unchecked crowd that mill around the area on a daily basis, without security checks or screening at both the entry and exit points.
The operators expressed fears that the cargo shed could be attacked by insurgents, given the upsurge in terrorism attacks in Nigeria.
“It cannot really be imagined that at this period of security threat, when insurgency has dug a foothold in Nigeria, concerned authorities could allow such laxity and porousness at the country’s busiest airport”, said a top official of a major cargo airline.
He noted that those who roam about in the cargo shed, claim to be clearing agents or their representatives.
THISDAY learnt that in an effort to sanitise the cargo shed, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) sometime ago built a secretariat for the clearing agents, with instruction that they should rein their workers; but this never happened. Instead, more people who do not have businesses at the airport reportedly roam about in the area, claiming to be clearing agents.
“This is serious security threat and a time bomb waiting to happen. There is no accountability and you don’t know who is who and FAAN is relaxed about it. There should be gates that are manned by security operatives so that if you don’t have any legitimate thing to do at the airport, you don’t come in. The situation is so bad that during Christmas and Ramadan, people come to sell rams, goats and clothes here.
“About three months ago a man on a motorcycle shot a policeman in front of the cargo shed gate and he died. FAAN is not doing what it is supposed to do. FAAN’s Aviation Security (AVSEC) said they do not have enough manpower and equipment. At the Sasha area of the airport, thieves jump through the fence at night to come and steal pallet nets and equipment,” the official said.
Also a worker with one of the major aviation handling companies told THISDAY that many of those who roam around are street urchins who gain access to the shed after bribing FAAN security officials.
He said, registered agents are not many, adding that the street urchin hide under the registered agents who provide cover for them as their staff.
“Authorities should enforce a policy of show your identity card of each agent’s staff. It is a pity they have easy access to the airport which confirms that the place is very, very porous. Somebody can come to this place with explosives and he cannot be stopped at the gates. There are no security checks whatsoever. It is a kind of no man’s land. The police at the entrance of the airport are more interested in collecting ‘royalties’ from those taking their goods out of the airport,” he said.
But the General Manager, Corporate Communication of FAAN, Yakubu Dati told THISDAY the agency was deeply concerned about the situation and has commenced moves to eradicate unauthorised persons from the cargo shed.
Dati explained that FAAN is deploying more security officials and is currently discussing with clearing agents to ensure only accredited officials of the agents are allowed access to the airports.

 

[ThisDay]