FAAN deploys IED detectors in Lagos, Abuja airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigerian (FAAN) says it has deployed new security equipment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The development comes months after FAAN said it had received a report on planned attacks on airports across the country.

In an interview with NAN on Saturday, Usman Sodiq, aviation security services director at FAAN, said the equipment include screening machines, improvised explosive device (IED) vapour detectors and hand-held scanners.

While noting that some areas in the airports were now automated, he added that the federal executive council (FEC) had approved deployment of K9 dogs — animals trained to assist law enforcement agencies.

He said FAAN had concluded the issue of arms for its personnel to cover areas that ordinarily would not be covered without such kind of protective equipment.

“The deployment of the security equipment was based on the dynamic challenges at the various airports, as well as their respective threat assessments,” Sodiq said.

“Based on threat assessments, we looked at areas that require these equipment. For instance, they called from Makurdi today that they needed additional screening machines. So, we have to work towards that.

“Therefore, it is based on demand and the availability of budget, because we present our budget demands and await results. But we don’t relax. Rather, we ensure that we are provided with most of these requirements.”

According to him, a lot has been covered regarding the new terminals constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

Sodiq, who said the federal government had approved the provision of CCTV cameras airports across the country, added that the aviation security department was currently trying to see available gaps that required full coverage.

The director also gave the assurance that all international airports would be well covered security-wise very soon.