Confusion as government alerts travellers to security threats at Nigerian airports

*The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has directed henceforth that all drivers must park and wait inside the car parks, while arriving passengers walk down to the car parks to board their vehicles

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

Following news reports about alleged plots by some criminal elements to attack airports across Nigeria, an air of uncertainty has enveloped the country’s aviation sector.

It was learnt that relevant security agencies have heightened security surveillance around the country’s airports in order to avoid untoward incidents.

The news which went viral on social media channels indicated that the Ministry of Aviation had alerted the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) over plots by some criminal elements to attack the airports.

Among the airports earmarked for possible attacks include those in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, and Kano, according to report.

However, the FAAN officials were said to have preferred not to issue any statement on the planned attacks in order not to escalate the tension already created by the alarm across the country.

A memo dated April 9, 2021, on the information with regard to the security threats reportedly stated: “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 (sic) the immediate enumeration of necessary countermeasures for the protection of Airports/Facilities under your purview.”

Alhajij Muhammed Tukur, former Managing Director of Afrijet Airlines, in his reaction noted that he was aware of the rumour, but said the security of the country was not as bad as people had thought.

Ppeople carrying this rumour are trying to instill fears in the minds of Nigerians in view of the security breach at the Kaduna Airport and the aviation quarters in Jos recently, Nigerian Tribune said.

Report stated the development may not be unconnected to an earlier statement issued by FAAN directing that henceforth, all drivers must park and wait inside the car parks *while arriving passengers walk down to the car parks to board their vehicles.

The aviation regulator in the statement said: “For departing passengers, drivers are only allowed to drop off passengers in front of the terminals.

“They are not permitted to wait for any reason after dropping their passengers; it is only a ‘Drop Off’ zone.”