Security expert wants Nigerian airports upgraded

President Muhammadu Buhari

Worried by the security situation at the nation’s airports, an aviation security expert, Dr Niama Fraser, has urged the Federal Government to upgrade the airports in line with international aviation organisations’ security regulations.

According to her, the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the International Air Transport Association had set international standards for aviation security.

Fraser, the Chief Executive Officer of Eden & Mcwhit Aviation Security, gave the advice in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.

She said the upgrading had become necessary in view of increasing global terrorism and to achieve a global airport security status.

While commending the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika and President Muhammudu Buhari for their prompt attention on the security situation at the nation’s airports, she called for urgent steps aimed at addressing it.

Fraser, however, maintained that while it was encouraging that Nigeria had initiated policies to attract foreign direct investments, it was also important that “we make our airports safer and secure in line with global requirements.”

“The Federal Government and Ministry of Transportation should be innovative in evolving financial solutions to achieve a first-class aviation security status for all international airports in the country without expending scarce resources on it during this recession.

“Nigeria should learn to use what we have to get what we need; airport concession has its advantages, but aviation security projects all over the world using the latest digital technology, are regularly updated and cannot be borne by government funding alone.

“Therefore, when our airports are concession, the aviation security aspect was not included and is worked out on a BMT (Build Manage and Train basis) because aviation security is the responsibility of the government with a technical partner/investor,” she said.

According to Fraser, some countries such as Sierra Leone and others in Europe and Asia are benefiting currently from this business model which has been introduced to the federal aviation authority by Eden & Mcwhit supported by its Principal in the United Kingdom.

Fraser said Nigeria should not waste any more time in concluding with the company so that their investors could assist the Federal government and relevant authorities to upgrade the international airports with the latest digital aviation security.

“They will train the Nigerian aviation security personnel and bring in professional aviation security guards to support the Nigerian AVSEC personnel with trained K9 aviation security dogs from the UK.

“It will also include the provision of all the standard modern digital aviation security products including thermal cameras that detects passengers with a high fever from a distance, day and night vision CCTV cameras,

“The airports will also have the latest baggage and passenger scanners, perimeter security radar and a command and control centre to network all products and solutions,” she added.

The aviation security expert also said all these would be put in place without attracting any funding from the Federal government, aviation ministry or the federal aviation authority.

“Other countries have benefited, so why not Nigeria? The Federal government agencies need to fast-track proposals in respect of aviation security projects due to the bureaucratic process so as to encourage foreign direct investment in the country.

“The government ought to be proactive with our strategy for aviation security not reactive. Government should not wait for something to happen before we put preventive measures and act.”