BEVERLY HILLS, April 13, (THEWILL) – The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has raised the alarm over purported planned attacks on its facilities across the country.
The Ministry of Aviation, in a memo to airport security chiefs, stated that criminals were planning to strike gateways in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto and Kano.
The memo dated April 9, 2021, and signed by FAAN’s Deputy General Manager, Administration and Logistics, S.M. Mamman, stated that the elements were considering carrying out attacks in Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kano, Abuja, and Lagos airports.
It read: “I am directed to convey a warning from the Ministry of Aviation regarding security threats by criminal elements against airports in Nigeria and to request the immediate enumeration of appropriate countermeasures for the safety of airports/facilities under your purview.
“Airports in Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kano, Abuja, and Lagos are at the top of the list for which criminals are considering carrying out attacks. Both airports, however, are being notified and asked to operate at a higher threat level.
“Submit a list of current and additional countermeasures to combat the risks, along with their cost consequences where applicable.”
They are also required to call an emergency meeting of airport security committees to “study the current state of airport security, jointly recommend corrective steps and share responsibility for successful implementation.”
THEWILL had reported that new security measures had been put in place at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.
One of the measures was a directive barring drivers from picking up arriving passengers in front of the terminal.
Spokesman of the Lagos Airport Police Command, DSP Joseph Alabi, said a new security arrangement is in place at the airport and assured airport users and operators of maximum security in and around the airport.
