Domestic
airlines operating flights into Kano, Maiduguri, Yola and other volatile cities
the North are currently carrying out safety and security audits of their
operations to determine whether they should continue flying to the cities or
not.
airlines operating flights into Kano, Maiduguri, Yola and other volatile cities
the North are currently carrying out safety and security audits of their
operations to determine whether they should continue flying to the cities or
not.
The
development came a few months after some of the domestic carriers cancelled
night-stops for their crew and aircraft in extremely volatile northern cities,
especially Maiduguri.
development came a few months after some of the domestic carriers cancelled
night-stops for their crew and aircraft in extremely volatile northern cities,
especially Maiduguri.
The
latest security and safety audits, which started some days ago, it was learnt,
followed the bombing of a motor park in Kano on Sunday, which left about 75
people dead as at the last count.
latest security and safety audits, which started some days ago, it was learnt,
followed the bombing of a motor park in Kano on Sunday, which left about 75
people dead as at the last count.
Currently,
airlines that fly into the key northern cities are IRS, Aerocontractors, Arik,
Chanchangi and Medview.
airlines that fly into the key northern cities are IRS, Aerocontractors, Arik,
Chanchangi and Medview.
The
Director of Flight Operations of one of the airlines flying into the northern
cities said the carrier had on Tuesday dispatched two separate teams of
officials from its safety and security departments to Kano and other cities in
the North to ascertain if the airline would need to continue its flight
operations into the volatile cities or not.
Director of Flight Operations of one of the airlines flying into the northern
cities said the carrier had on Tuesday dispatched two separate teams of
officials from its safety and security departments to Kano and other cities in
the North to ascertain if the airline would need to continue its flight
operations into the volatile cities or not.
According
to the official, domestic airlines had a year ago carried out similar security
and safety audits in the height of attacks from the deadly Islamic sect, Boko
Haram.
to the official, domestic airlines had a year ago carried out similar security
and safety audits in the height of attacks from the deadly Islamic sect, Boko
Haram.
Sources
familiar with the situation said virtually all the concerned airlines were
already re-examining their operations into the volatile northern cities.
familiar with the situation said virtually all the concerned airlines were
already re-examining their operations into the volatile northern cities.
The
sources said the airlines believed they needed to review their operations into
the cities as the suicide bomb blasts at an inter-state commercial bus park in
Sabon-Gari area of Kano showed that air transport could also be a target of the
deadly Islamic group.
sources said the airlines believed they needed to review their operations into
the cities as the suicide bomb blasts at an inter-state commercial bus park in
Sabon-Gari area of Kano showed that air transport could also be a target of the
deadly Islamic group.
The
blasts, which also injured scores of passengers, drivers, hawkers and visitors,
destroyed five luxury passenger buses.
blasts, which also injured scores of passengers, drivers, hawkers and visitors,
destroyed five luxury passenger buses.
A
Marcopolo bus belonging to Gobison Motors had on board over 70 passengers when
it was attacked by the suicide bombers just as it was about departing the busy
park for Lagos, it was learnt.
Marcopolo bus belonging to Gobison Motors had on board over 70 passengers when
it was attacked by the suicide bombers just as it was about departing the busy
park for Lagos, it was learnt.
Aviation
security consultant and former Military Commandant of the Murtala Muhammed
International Airport, Lagos, Group Captain John Ojikutu, (retd), said the
domestic airlines were reacting rather late to the potential threat posed by
the activities of Boko Haram to the aviation sector.
security consultant and former Military Commandant of the Murtala Muhammed
International Airport, Lagos, Group Captain John Ojikutu, (retd), said the
domestic airlines were reacting rather late to the potential threat posed by
the activities of Boko Haram to the aviation sector.
He said
airlines should have carried out such security and safety review and audit of
their operations to the North long before the latest deadly bombing in Kano.
airlines should have carried out such security and safety review and audit of
their operations to the North long before the latest deadly bombing in Kano.
Ojikutu
said, “The airlines are starting too late. Aviation and airliners are targets
of terrorists. I mentioned it a year ago. All the domestic airlines need to
review their security programmes to see if they can sustain the present threat.
I have seen that the security programme they have cannot sustain the threat.
said, “The airlines are starting too late. Aviation and airliners are targets
of terrorists. I mentioned it a year ago. All the domestic airlines need to
review their security programmes to see if they can sustain the present threat.
I have seen that the security programme they have cannot sustain the threat.
“Airlines
need to establish a list of their frequently travelled passengers so that it
will make it easy for them to sort out non-frequently travelled passengers. The
airlines need to come with a Computer Assisted Pre-Passenger Screening that
will help them identify passengers who they need to carry out enhanced
screening on.
need to establish a list of their frequently travelled passengers so that it
will make it easy for them to sort out non-frequently travelled passengers. The
airlines need to come with a Computer Assisted Pre-Passenger Screening that
will help them identify passengers who they need to carry out enhanced
screening on.
“Also,
government needs to come up with a list of people that are threats to civil
aviation. Government can then circulate the list internally through the
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to the airlines.”
government needs to come up with a list of people that are threats to civil
aviation. Government can then circulate the list internally through the
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to the airlines.”
However,
a top official of one of the airlines flying to the North told our
correspondent on Thursday that the carrier would continue flying to the region
as preliminary findings from the safety and security audits of its operations
in volatile northern cities, especially Kano, revealed that certain security
measures that could prevent attacks from the Boko Haram sect and other
insurgent groups were in place.
a top official of one of the airlines flying to the North told our
correspondent on Thursday that the carrier would continue flying to the region
as preliminary findings from the safety and security audits of its operations
in volatile northern cities, especially Kano, revealed that certain security
measures that could prevent attacks from the Boko Haram sect and other
insurgent groups were in place.
“Along
the road leading to the Kano airport, there are several security checks at the
moment. And within the Kano airport, certain security checks have been put in
place by the government,” he said.
the road leading to the Kano airport, there are several security checks at the
moment. And within the Kano airport, certain security checks have been put in
place by the government,” he said.
Source: Punch
