‘To secure assets, lives’ — FAAN inaugurates aviation security special force

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has inaugurated 120 officers for the aviation security (AVSEC) special force to secure assets and lives.

In a statement on X on Monday, Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, said the decision to set up the special force is part of steps to curb the menace of touting and other illegal activities around Nigeria’s airports.

“As part of the steps we earlier promised Nigerians to take to curb the menace of touting and other illegal activities around our airports, earlier today the Managing Director of FAAN, on my behalf, unveiled the armed Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos,” he said.

“We will replicate it at other international airports. They have the mandate to arrest and prosecute touts and other suspected criminals around our airports.

“This is apart from the other inter-ministerial effort that is still on-going to deal specifically with the issue of agencies of government within the airports that are involved in extortion, bribery and begging.”

FAAN said the officers will beef up security at international airports nationwide.

In a statement by the airport authority, Olubunmi Kuku, FAAN managing director (MD), inaugurated 30 of the personnel at the international wing of MMIA.

‘AVIATION SECURITY TEAM ALIGNS WITH GLOBAL STANDARDS’

Kuku described the inauguration as a significant occasion for the agency as it progresses towards aligning Nigeria’s aviation security team with global standards.

“This is for them to help us in terms of securing our assets, in terms of helping to secure lives, as well as the people within the aviation environment specifically at the airports,” Kuku said.

“So again, as I mentioned, it is remarkable for us, we are happy that we spent a significant amount of time in terms of training them, in terms of identifying the sorts of individuals that are part of this squad.

“They are quite professional, as you can see, and they will continue to engage as well as work closely with other security agencies.”

She reassured that the security team would not misuse their weapons with excessive force during their duties, while also advising passengers and airport users to go about their businesses in an orderly manner.

“What is critical is that we want to make sure that we can deter people. We hope that we do not have to use force. In the event that they need to,  they will coordinate with all of the other security agencies,” she said.

“The focus is to make sure that they are helping us in terms of executing all of our desires, specifically around making sure that there are no illegal activities that go on.”

FAAN TO DEPLOY AVSEC TO LAGOS, ABUJA, PORT HARCOURT’

Speaking on the facilities where the personnel will be deployed, Kuku said FAAN will begin with the five international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Enugu.

“There is a similar exercise going on. We do have about 120 people who have been trained. It is a recurring training program. In Lagos, I believe we have about 30 of them,” Kuku added.

She expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Keyamo, and the national security adviser (NSA) for their support, adding that FAAN is collaborating very closely with all security agencies at the airports.

Regarding the next phase, Kuku said it involves coordination, emphasising an ongoing campaign to ensure that airport personnel conduct themselves in a manner that is both acceptable and noticeable to passengers.