To ensure security of the nation’s airports against terrorism, the Federal Government has barred the military and civilian protocol officials from all the restricted areas including the arrival and baggage halls at the five international airports in the country.
Before now, protocol officers who are attached to state governors, top government officials, influential Nigerians among others, are regularly seen in restricted and sterile areas of the airports to fetch their principals. Most of them even get accredited by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and subsequently issued On Duty Cards (ODCs) to gain easy access to security areas.
It is only in Nigeria unrestricted access to security areas at airports go unpunished. There are several cases of arrest of people with fake ODCs, a situation that is capable of putting the airports under threat.
The chairman, presidential committee on airport security, Prof. Sylvester Monye, who briefed newsmen yesterday at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed, Lagos, said as from May 1, any civilian or military protocol official who flouts the presidential directive would be arrested.
He said personnel drawn from the military and the police would be set up and empowered to enforce the order, which he said would affect aides to governors and other dignitaries as well as military and para-military personnel.
Monye said the Federal Government was concerned about the security situation at the five international airports, adding that the directive “is aimed at ensuring sanity, security and global best practices at all international airports in Nigeria.”
He noted: “Over the years, it was the practice of government protocol officials, aides of dignitaries, protocol officers of private companies, unauthorised and ununiformed military and security officials to move unhindered in restricted areas of our airports. “This unwholesome milling around in the immigration and customs areas is a threat to national security. A stop will be put to the practice forthwith.
“The idea is to stop all those not supposed to be within the precincts of our airport from using such facilities for loitering. It is to stop the impunity of government officials and military officers and personnel not supposed to be at the airports from using their positions to operate in such facilities.”
“Henceforth, no protocol officer or aide will be allowed into the arrival/ baggage halls of our international airports. No protocol officer or aide to inbound passengers, including trolley handlers, will be allowed into the baggage halls,” he said.
Source: New Telegraph
