The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has justified the removal of State Security Services (SSS) from the internal airports across the country, saying their presence was unnecessary and slowed passenger processing.
The Coordinating spokesman Aviation parastatals, Mr. Yakubu Dati, also told our correspondent on phone that the motivation for sacking the SSS from the screening points was in line with international best practices.
“The removal of the SSS at the checking points of both arrival and departure is in line with international best practices. Go to London Heathrow, Gatwick International Airport or any other international airport in the world, you can’t find the SSS alongside immigration at the checking point,” Dati explained.
He noted that Nigeria’s aviation industry is evolving and we must begin to align ourselves with international best practices.
“The removal of SSS at the airport is also to facilitate quick processing of passengers. The delays that go with SSS checks have been removed thus making it faster to process passengers. Coupled with our 30 immigration counters as opposed to 8 previously, we can now process passengers faster which is service delivery,” he said.
“IATA prescribes that a passenger shouldn’t spend more than 7 minutes for processing. That is our target,” Dati said.
He however noted, “The removal of the SSS doesn’t in anyway suggest that security is being treated with levity. No! Our airports are just as secure,” he assured.
“It is also significant to clarify that the SSS and other security agencies are still in the airport premises. What has changed is that the SSS will no longer man the checking booths, only the Immigration will because that is the global standard,” he explained.
Dati also explained that there are other security agencies like the Police, Customs, NDLEA and FAAN’s Aviation Security outfit –AVSEC, yet none of these man the checking booth adding that FAAN has provided designated places for them to occupy and do their work unhindered.
Commenting on the matter, Engineer Sheri Kyari, Executive Director of Centre for Aviation Safety and Research (CAS-R) said FAAN should look at its decision critically in terms of security implication.
“I wouldn’t say categorically that the withdrawal isn’t healthy or not. But when you have multiple layers of security, there is the tendency that one layer can act as check and balance over the other so that there are no compromises. When you now withdraw others and leave one at the screening point, the tendency to compromise becomes high. But if they have put in place technologies or other measures that will check possible breach, then the decision is healthy,” he explained.
Written By Chris Agabi
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