A.R.T, experts strategise on aviation security

Worried by the constant targeting of aviation by terrorists across the globe to carry out their heinous crimes, various experts have come together to strategise on counter measures to combat these threats in other not to be caught napping.

Leading the critical move was the strong non-governmental organisation, Aviation Round Table (ART), which brought together relevant stakeholders to deliberate on the security challenges at the country’s airports.

At a breakfast meeting with the theme, ‘Aviation Security in the midst of Home Grown Terrorism,’ organised by ART in Lagos, the president of the group of the professionals, Mr Gabriel Olowo in his welcome address, lamented the incessant stowaway cases recorded by the country which he said was a sign of porousity in the country’s aviation security.

The development came just as the Managing Director of Centurion Security Services Group, Captain John Ojikutu (rtd), has blamed the recent stowaway incidence recorded on an Arik Air flight to Johannesburg on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), saying the regulatory body did not live up to expectation of the aviation industry.

According to Olowo, this security lapse portrayed by the stowaway cases has affected a major sector like tourism which, in his opinion, is a faster way of getting out of the economic doldrums than agriculture which will do the same but take a longer time.

“For us to get out of recession the sure way is boosting our tourism and the one way to do that is to build linkages through aviation. Tourism can give us money just like that but agriculture takes time. And one thing hampering the growth of tourism is security. Even our neighbours in Ghana do not want to come and the security is not helping matters as our law enforcement are seen as security threats on their own.

“I read with sadness on the incident of the stowaway on one of our airlines from Lagos to Johannesburg and let us assume he is there to stowaway for greener pastures, but on the alternative he could have been a terrorist and may have just planted something on any aircraft avionics and this shows how porous our security has been.”

In his presentation, the guest speaker, a Transportation Security Agency (TSA) Attache of the United States Embassy in West African Region, Mr Gary Pleus, told the gathering that in the grand scheme of things security agencies must be on top of their game.

For Pleus, security agencies must continue to get it right all the time because the terrorists only need to get it right once with devastating consequences as was seen in 9/11 which led to the birth of the TSA.

Pleus declared “aviation is a primary target for terrorists, they only have to get it right once while we  have to keep getting it right all the time. A single incident has high stakes from the economic consequences to the fear it will instil.”

Calling on the gathering to be wary of threats from the landside as well as insider threats which he said some terrorists would seek the cooperation of aviation security to perpetrate, Pleus particularly indicated interest in the new trend of using improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

Most terrorists he said have gone from trying to bomb aircraft mid-air to attacking terminals as was seen in Belgium and then Turkey.

“Apart from evolving new ways to take security unawares, they do not discard their old ways, these terrorists simply try to improve on it. It was after the attack on the terminal in Belgium that these groups evolved it to carry a similar and deadly attack in Turkey.

“Kudos to Nigeria for trying to ensure they are prepared to handle this situation if it ever comes to that as most countries can take a cue and ensure that they safeguard the aviation industry,” Pleus added.

Still speaking on the stowaway incidence, Ojikutu said “I hold NCAA responsible for security breaches. NCAA should review the security programmes of Arik Air and the airports. When it happened in Benin, I asked how it could have taken place without an insider. Most of the airports in Nigeria have perimeter fences that are not security-enhanced. The perimeter fence at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport is used as part of private residence.

“There are security threats at all the airports. There is no central security control at the airports. Should anything happen, you cannot hold anybody responsible; everybody will be passing the buck. FAAN cannot be in charge of security because it was not established for that purpose.

“If you cannot protect the airlines, you have failed in your responsibility. If NCAA is hamstrung, then there is something wrong with us,” he added.