The Nigerian government through the Federal Ministry of Aviation has warned Nigerians of planned attacks across airports in the country.
This alert coming on the heels of recent attacks on Kaduna Airport by kidnappers during which members of staff of Federal Airport Authority (FAAN) were abducted and the attacks as well as police stations in Owerri,
In a leaked memo sighted by Africa Daily News, New York, dated April 9 signed by the Deputy General Manager of Administration and Logistics of FAAN, S.M. Mamman, and addressed to airport chiefs of security, he said airports top on the list for which criminals were considering carrying out attacks include Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kano, Abuja, and Lagos.
The airport security chiefs were directed by the memo to submit a list of existing and additional countermeasures to address the threats, along with their cost implications where applicable.
Read Also: Aviation Minister, Sirika Clears Air On Flight Bribe Allegations
Also, they are expected to urgently convene an emergency meeting of airport security committees to review the status of airport security, jointly recommend appropriate measures and share responsibility for effective implementation.
The memo read: ‘I am directed to convey an alert from the Ministry of Aviation regarding security threats by criminal elements against Airports in Nigeria and to request for the immediate enumeration of necessary countermeasures for the protection of Airports/Facilities under your purview,” the memo reads.
‘Specifically, the Airports top on the list for which criminals are considering carrying out attacks include those in Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kano, Abuja, and Lagos amongst others. However, all airports are hereby alerted and requested to operate at a heightened threat level.’
When contacted for reaction, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, Henrietta Yakubu, said she was waiting for confirmation from the appropriate quarters.
However, Aviation security expert and former commandant of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Captain John Ojikutu told newsmen that to get to the root of the issue, no one should look too far from the targets of the attacks for those who perpetrated the planning as both have insider collusion. He said security agencies should find the insiders colluding with the criminals first before they get those from the outside. He believes that nobody would come outside the target area to attack it without pre-knowledge of the target areas, security, and strength.
‘What is happening around us and threatening the states and the national security could be a rehearsal of bigger things waiting to happen. I have said this several times and it seems there are no sufficient knowledge or understanding or careful assessments of the local, state, and national intelligence judging from the various attacks we have seen at Kaduna airports and other States agencies sharing the same boundaries.
‘The attacks on the police station in Owerri is not different and no one should look too far from the targets of these attacks for those who perpetrated the planning and the acts; both have insiders’ collusions. Find the insiders’ collusions first before you get the others from outsiders. Nobody would come outside the target area to attack it without pre-knowledge of the target areas, security, and strength,’ Ojikutu said.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
